Irish Soda Bread

We just got back from a long weekend in NY visiting family. We spent St. Patrick's Day at my grandma's house in the Bronx. Max wore the cutest little outfit and got lots of kisses, because he's Irish (and really cute)!

Before we left for the weekend, I made a couple loaves of soda bread and two pans of Bailey's Irish Cream brownies. I brought one loaf of bread and one pan of brownies to NY with us and the other I sent upstairs to Nelda for Friday Martini Night. I haven't heard back about how it went over with everyone there but they were a hit at my grandma's house.

I've been making this recipe for soda bread for so long that I don't really know where I got it from. It is a pretty basic recipe and comes out perfect almost every time. It makes a huge round loaf so be prepared to share!

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients
1/4 Cup Sugar
4 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Salt
3 Cups Raisins
2 Large Eggs
1 1/4 Cups Buttermilk
1 Cup Sour Cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and raisins.
4. Add the eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk.
5. Mix until well moistened and a very sticky batter is formed.
6. Pour batter into the cake pan and dust the top with a little flour.
7. Bake for 65-75 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the middle is cooked through.

Yields: 1 Round Loaf (approx. 16 servings)