Description
A delightful and slightly sweet fruit soda bread perfect for breakfast or tea time, featuring juicy raisins and a tender crumb achieved without yeast. This easy-to-make bread uses baking powder and baking soda for leavening and is enhanced by buttermilk and melted butter for rich flavor and moist texture.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 500 g (4 cups + 2 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for sprinkling the baking sheet
- 100 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 200 g (1 cup) juicy raisins (or other dried fruit if preferred)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 250 ml (1 cup + 2 tsp) buttermilk
- 50 g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) melted butter (just melted, not boiling hot)
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) fan setting. Lightly flour a baking sheet to prevent the bread from sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, baking soda, raisins, and salt. Stir well to evenly distribute all the dry components.
- Prepare Wet Mixture: Crack the eggs into a cup and whisk gently with a fork. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the egg for an egg wash later, and pour the remaining beaten egg into a separate bowl. Add the buttermilk and melted butter to this bowl and mix until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixes: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until a sticky dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender. You may use your hands to combine the dough if preferred. Shape the dough into a rough ball or cob and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Score and Egg Wash: Using a sharp knife, cut a large cross about 1 inch deep into the top of the dough. Using a pastry brush, brush the reserved egg wash over the entire surface of the dough to help with browning.
- Bake the Bread: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with butter or toast slices and spread with butter as desired.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough bread.
- Use just-melted butter, not hot, to prevent scrambling the eggs.
- The cross cut on top helps the bread expand evenly while baking.
- Buttermilk can be substituted with a mixture of milk and a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice left to sit for 5 minutes.
- The bread is best enjoyed fresh but can be toasted the next day for added flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
