Tiffany's Homemade Irish Soda Bread

I am currently on a very personal mission to become a better baker. To be honest, I lack the discipline required to be truly great at baking, though I am always willing to learn new skills and have a few easy dessert recipes up my sleeve that make me seem like a better baker than I actually am. I’ve reached the point where I’d like to start pushing myself.

It’s so easy to buy baked goods instead of preparing them yourself, but with a recipe like this one, there’s really no excuse not to make your own soda bread! It’s simple, fun, foolproof, and healthy - just 6 ingredients. Plus, it comes from my friend, Tiffany, who is a fantastic baker. I’ve used her recipe a few dozen times, and it never lets me down. Enjoy!

Tiffany’s Homemade Irish Soda Bread

Serves roughly 8 people (or me)(in one sitting)

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned whole grain rolled oats (NOT instant or quick oats)

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Instructions:

  1. Combine the buttermilk & oats in a bowl and allow this mixture to sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours before you’ll be baking. (For a softer interior, store this mixture in the fridge overnight before proceeding with the recipe.)

  2. Heat oven to 350*F, then grease a 9-inch (round) cake pan OR line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

  4. Transfer the oat and buttermilk mixture to a large bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients from Step 2 until just combined. Do not over mix. (I do this by hand, but you can certainly use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment or dough hook.)

  5. Turn the dough out onto a floured counter top and sprinkle it with a little extra flour. Knead it a few times, then shape it into a flat circle about 1 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut two lines through the top to make an X. Transfer to your pan.

    (At this point, I like to spray the top with a little olive oil to give some extra richness, texture, and color to the bread, but doing so is not necessary or part of the original recipe!)

  6. Bake for about an hour, or until a pale golden brown. (An instant read thermometer will tell you that the inside is 200+ degrees when it’s finished.) Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

  7. Serve still a bit warm with some jam, butter, and hot tea. Or with a hearty stew. Or with whatever you like because you have free will and I can’t control you!