Irish Soda Bread

Usually for St Patrick's Day I make a Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake.  Unfortunately for the past two years I haven't been able to make it.  Last year we had to stay with my parents because a bad storm knocked out power at our house the night before the baby's Christening, and wasn't restored until a day or two after St. Patty's.  This year, I work Tuesdays and Thursdays and there just isn't enough time, and I really don't want to rush it.  My hope for next year is to renew my tradition.  This year I really wanted to make Soda Bread with my son.  I had a slightly different recipe from my days of a daycare teacher, but unfortunately that seems to have been lost forever.  Luckily, Irish Soda Bread recipes are as common as the "Irish" on St. Patrick's Day and I found one very similar to the one I had!  I will be making a traditional Irish Brown Bread at a later date, and honestly you can make that at any time of year, as well as Irish Soda Bread.  Please share your favorite Irish Soda Bread Recipes below!  I myself may try another one I have that uses buttermilk.  I'll even use home-made buttermilk (you can find the "How-To" in my You can catch more flies with honey... post, under "Cooking and Food Uses" #9.  Caraway Seeds are optional in this recipe, you won't see them in Soda Bread I make, as I despise Caraway Seeds, but to each his/her own!
I made 4 loaves of Irish Soda Bread in 2 days.  We made Irish Soda Bread as a family, and Eoin liked helping me mix everything up!  Even Dada (Da) got into the mix!  One of the loaves we kept and the other we brought to my parents for St Patty's Dinner.  Everyone liked it, my sister preferred it over store bought, and my uncle said it reminded him of the "Old Country."  That right there means it was a HUGE success.  I also made 2 loaves with the kids that I help sit.  Apparently word got out, and their cousins came over to help to.  With 4 children under the age of 5, it worked out perfectly.  There were just enough ingredients to split up so they each got to help me twice.  I also let them help mix up the dry ingredients.   We put the loaves in the oven and went outside to enjoy the beautiful day.  When we came back in to take them out, the children commented on how good it smelled!  For the first time I've made so many in so little time, I think it went well!

Yields 2 9x5 inch loaves

Prep Time:  10 Minutes         Bake Time:  About 50-60 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup California raisins
• 2 Tbs Caraway Seeds (Optional)
• 4 eggs
• 1 pint (16 OZ) Sour Cream (It's really up to each individual if they want to use Low or Non Fat)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Spray 2 9x5 loaf pans with cooking spray.
3. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.  (Again, you DO NOT need a sifter for this, just take either a whisk or a fork and mix all of the dry ingredients upwards, you want to get air throughout)
4. Add raisins, caraway seeds(optional), eggs and sour cream.  Mix until combined, make sure there isn't any flour on the bottom of the bowl.
5. Split batter between the two pans.  You may need to use your hands to form some sort of "loaf" shape.  Just wet your hands in icy cold water before doing so, otherwise it WILL be a mess!
6. Bake loaves for about 50-60 minutes at 325°F, the loaves should be a nice golden brown.