Want a little something sweet to munch on but don’t want to put in a ton of effort? Love any carb that you can slather with delicious butter? Feeling like you could use a little extra luck in baking? Make my awesome Irish Soda Bread! Probably a bit more American than Irish, but hey, so am I!

  • 2/3 cup Raisins
  • 1 tablespoon Triple Sec, Grand Marnier or Orange Juice
  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 4 tablespoons Sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 4 tablespoons Butter – cold, diced
  • 1 cup Buttermilk (I put 1 tablespoon White Vinegar in a measuring cup and add Milk to make 1 cup. Let sit 5 minutes)
  • 1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Demerara or Sparkling Sugar
  1. Preheat oven to 375 and brush a pie pan with oil or use cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the raisins and Triple Sec. Let sit while you make the dough.
  3. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or by hand with a wooden spoon, mix the 2 cups flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, a pinch of salt and the butter. You want the butter to be pea sized bits.
  4. Add the buttermilk and mix until a dough forms – it will be shaggy and wet – don’t worry it will taste great!
  5. Drain any extra liquid from the raisins into the dough. Toss the raisins in with the 1 tablespoon of flour until the raisins are coated – this will keep them evenly distributed in the dough. Mix the raisins into the dough – this should take about 10 seconds.
  6. Dump the dough into the prepared pie pan. Gently make into a ball and then flatten to about 2 inches thick. Using a knife or bowl scraper, push a deep X into the dough, going edge to edge. It should go almost all of the way to the bottom.
  7. Sprinkle with the Demerara Sugar and slide into the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes, then let cool in the pie pan for about 10 minutes. Cut a slice, slather with butter and enjoy your baking prowess!