Irish soda bread is a no yeast bread recipe. Traditional Irish soda bread is shaped as a boule and then baked. It has golden color on the crust with a dense tight crumb.
But I love to have my bread as a loaf and I shaped it so. Frankly, I never liked the version of quick bread and always enjoy eating my yeast-bread. But there are people who don’t eat yeast-based bread because of their personal reasons. So they mostly rely on quick soda bread.
This month our host Stacy Livingston Rushton has given us a theme of Quickbread. Hence I got the chance to try my hands on this traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe with buttermilk, but with a little tweak.
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Why do they call it Irish Soda Bread?
Irish because the oldest published recipe of soda bread was found in a London magazine published in 1836. Soda bread because unlike yeast, baking soda is used as a leavening agent for this bread. Many people stay confused between baking soda and baking powder and I have answered that in my article.
|Must Try: Healthy Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
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What is Soda Bread?
Soda bread is basically a combination of flour, baking soda, and buttermilk. When baking soda reacts with buttermilk, then it helps the bread to expand. If you are worried about the citric flavor of buttermilk then don’t worry.
Honey Buttermilk Bread is one of the most popular recipes among my users. I have used the same combination of baking soda and buttermilk in this recipe. It’s been 3 years, but people still write emails and leave comments on its YouTube recipe and appreciate its flavor.
In many countries, buttermilk is not easily available. If you are in such a country then check the recipe notes at the end to know how to make buttermilk at home.
Let’s move to the recipe
For this quick yeast-free bread, I have used half portion Whole wheat flour and half portion All-purpose flour just like I have used in my 50-50 bread. To add little sweetness and color, I added Honey. For crunch, I have added dry cranberries. Those little red cranberries were looking like red rubies through the golden crumb of the bread.
If you bake this recipe, please share a picture with me on my Instagram using #bakewithsoni
|Recommended Recipe: Buttermilk Beignets
Quick Notes
| Tin Size | 6x3x3 |
| Oven Temp | 180 °C |
| Baking Time | 30 min |
| MW Convection Temp | 170 °C |
| Baking Time | 30 min |
| Demold Instructions | Immediately |
| Cooling Time | 60 min |
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Before we start preparing the dough, keep the oven for preheating at 180 °C.
Add honey to buttermilk. Stir it to mix it.
In a large mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour, All-purpose flour, salt, cranberries, and baking soda. Mix all the dry ingredients. Add honey and buttermilk solution to it. Using a spatula mix everything until it comes together.
Add butter to the dough. Butter should be at room temperature so that it can blend with the dough easily. Knead it for 2-3 minutes until its smooth. Now shape it into a log.
Line a loaf tin (dimensions 6x3x3 inches) with parchment paper. Place the shaped loaf facing seam side down. Using a sharp knife, slit the dough lengthwise.
Bake it in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 30 minutes.
Once it’s baked, take it out of the oven and de-mold it immediately. Place it on a wired rack and let it cool completely.
Is Soda bread and Sourdough bread the same thing?
I wonder why people confuse both of these bread together whereas both are completely opposite to each other. Soda bread does not use yeast at all. Soda bread is a quick bread. However, Sourdough Bread is a long process and takes many hours to complete dough into bread. Sourdough bread uses natural yeast which the baker culture on its own.
The traditional Irish Soda Bread is generally made with whole meal or with all-purpose flour using buttermilk and baking soda. For those who look for yeast-free bread, this bread is for them.
What does soda bread taste like?
The taste of soda bread depends on the ingredients you add in it. Few people like to make soda bread with raisins and some with caraway seeds. There are many variations that can be made of the traditional soda bread. But typically the soda bread is going to be little dry, mildly sweet, and tastes more like a biscuit.
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|Recommended Recipe: Homemade Brown Bread
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#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. The theme for this month is “Quick Bread Loaves”. Our host of the month is Stacy at Food Lust People Love. Check out what the Bread Bakers have baked.
- Banana Nut Bread from Sneha's Recipe
- Cheddar Bacon Chive Quick Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Chocolate Quick Bread from Sara's Tasty Buds
- Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread from Shockingly Delicious
- Coconut Sweet Bread from Passion Kneaded
- Cranberry Pecan Quick Bread from Food Lust People Love
- Eggfree Oats and Dates Bread from Veena’s Vegnation
- Espresso Banana Quick Bread with Espresso Streusel from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
- Irish Soda Bread from Anybody Can Bake
- Keto Low Carb Coconut Flour Bread from Cook With Renu
- Lady Grey Date Nut Bread from A Messy Kitchen
- Lemon Blueberry Bread from Palatable Pastime
- Lemon Pistachio Loaf from Ambrosia
- Summer Shandy Beer Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Zucchini Bread from Simply Inspired Meals
Irish Soda bread #BreadBakers
Extremely easy Irish Soda Bread for people who look for yeast free bread. This brown soda bread is a quick bread that needs no rising time.
Ingredients
Instructions
Video
Notes
Can I make this with normal aatta and maida
You can always experiment as there is no harm in trying.
Hi Sonia, is this the only yeast free bread recipe you have experimented with? Have you tried the yeast and egg free sandwich bread recipe yet? Would love to know the recipe and try it out
Hello Vishal,
Please stay connected. Soon you will get that too.
Can the cranberries be replaced with tutti fruity
Yes, you can replace cranberries with raisins or any other dry fruit.
What else we can add onatead of honey n maple syrup… Any easy available option like sigar, jaggery
Ritika, you can try it with sugar.
Happy Baking!
Sonia
Hii sonia …if we don’t get canberries…any other substitute
Try dried blueberries.
Is there any substitute for honey in this recipe?
Krati, you can use Maple syrup.
Hi sonia
Can I skip adding cranberries? In a lockdown state i dont have anything to replace it.
Yes cranberries are completely optional.
Hii Soniaji, what can be substitute for All Purpose Flour.
Wanted to bake this bread Vegan. I will use non dairy buttermilk, instead of honey will use dates paste & butter can be replaced by coconut butter.
Hello Shashi,
Thanks for reaching out. I will look forward to your experiment. Do share the pic of your bread on my insta @bakewithsonia.
For all-purpose flour, you can reduce the quantity of APF and include Whole Wheat Flour, however, the more you add whole wheat flour, the denser the bread is going to be.
Hope this answer your question.
Cheers!
Sonia
Hello Sonia, Your Irish Soda bread looks gorgeous. The cranberries actually look like rubies peeing out of the delicious crumb. You have explained everyting so well. This is a perfect bake!
Namita,
When it comes from an awesome baker like you, I simply feel proud of myself. Thank you so much.
Love
Sonia
Thanks for the explanation of Irish soda bread! I can’t believe folks would mix it up with sourdough!
Yes Karen, it happens. On internet i read too many articles where people left such questions “if soda bread and sourdough bread is same thing?”. Even I was surprised and that’s why i thought to make it clear in my article 🙂
Happy Baking,
Sonia
Wonderful texture on the bread. I am I Ireland but never baked a soda bread. May be as it is easily available. You have got it perfectly done.
Thank you Renu for these encouraging words. I never tasted market made soda bread so hard to comment if it is going to taste same or not. But it was very soft and moist.
Love
Sonia
I can’t believe I have never considered making soda bread in a loaf pan! It turned out absolutely gorgeous and of course I love dried cranberries, just about my favorite dried fruit add-in.
Hi Kelly,
So other than love for baking, one more thing common between us is love for Cranberries 🙂
Thanks for your lovely words.
Love
Sonia
I see dried fruit in this bread but no mention of it in the recipe. It looks delicious.
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for notifying. I have made the corrections. Somehow skipped to mention in ingredient list.
Thanks once again.
Sonia
Hi i will surely try this…. Only one query why to slit the bread in the middle….pls don’t laugh at my silly question… I am a newbie
Hi Manisha, Thanks for writing in. Believe me, questions are never silly. Many times questions make me seek answers of a few things that never struck my mind.
So the bread has moisture inside and when it will go inside the oven and start baking, the moisture will convert into vapors and will need a direction to come out of bread. Instead of the vapor finding its way by its own and making a crack anywhere in the bread, we slit the bread to give direction to the vapors.
Let me know if I was able to answer your question.
Cheers!
Sonia
I love the addition of the dried cranberries to your beautiful soda bread, Sonia. They are like rubies in that lovely crumb.
Hi Stacy,
You said same thing as i mentioned in my recipe. Those were actually looking like jewels. Thanks for choosing such an awesome theme.
Love
Sonia