Whole Grain Irish Soda Bread

So excited to share this easy, yummy Whole Grain Irish Soda Bread recipe with you today! I’ve made it twice in the past week (once with raisins, once without). It’s a fantastic recipe that requires no special talents and appears hard to foul up. That’s the hallmark of a great recipe, if you ask me 🙂

Where do great recipes come from?

More often than not, it’s handed down to you from your grandmother, or your best friend, or is a favorite from that cool celebrity chef you love. Sometimes, though, you find a great recipe tucked away in your little girl’s backpack.

When I pulled out that recipe (on St. Patrick’s Day, no less) and realized I didn’t have anyplace to be for the next hour (luck o’ the Irish, must’ve been), I decided it was time to give it a go.

Recipe Notes

Naturally, because I can never leave well enough alone, I took a couple of twists on the original recipe, which came from Georgia’s teacher. I used non-fat milk, and replaced half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. And, because I don’t know the lyrics or the tune, I skipped the instructions that said, ‘For the best results, sing “Danny Boy” while you stir the batter.”

I love a teacher with a good sense of humor!

Whole Grain Irish Soda Bread
Serves 10

Prep time: 15 minutes     Cook time: 40-50 minutes

2 cups nonfat milk
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoons butter, cut into very small pieces
1 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9″ cake pan with spray oil.

Add vinegar to milk. Stir, then set aside.

Sift all dry ingredients (flours, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder) into a large mixing bowl. Add the pieces of butter (and raisins if you are including them) and stir. Add the milk/vinegar mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir gently just until all dry ingredients are moistened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Best served warm, or warmed up.