Like corned beef and Guinness gingerbread, this simple buttermilk bread, leavened with a mix of baking powder and baking soda, is a St. Patrick’s Day classic. The thing is, this is a beautiful recipe to add to your regular monthly repertoire—warm and fresh, it’s fantastic with a simple homemade soup or stew.
Check out the backstory on Irish soda bread and chemical-leavened baked goods in our story Quick Breads: Everything You Need to Know About Making These Easy Loaves.
- Yields: 1 loaf
- Total: 1 hr 5 mins
- Active: 15 mins
Ingredients (8)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Switch to the paddle attachment and add 4 ounces (1 stick) of the softened butter. Mix on medium-low speed until the butter is combined. Add 1 cup of buttermilk and the egg.
- Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook and, still on medium-low, knead the dough until well combined.
- Turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead a few more times by hand.Form the dough into a round and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Make the glaze: Melt the remaining 2 ounces (1/2 stick) of butter. In a small bowl, combine it with the remaining 1/4 cup of buttermilk and whisk. Brush the loaf with this mixture, then use a sharp knife to cut an “X” into the top of the loaf.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes (check for doneness after 30 minutes). Transfer to a cooling rack before slicing.
