This Irish Soda Bread is dense and soft with a deliciously crunchy exterior. Although this bread is completely homemade, it’s actually extremely easy to make and is ready in just over an hour.
About this Vegan Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread is typically made with buttermilk and oftentimes eggs. This recipe omits eggs and replaces buttermilk with soy milk plus lemon juice, a simple way to make vegan buttermilk.
Soda Bread is a quick bread (no yeast/rising required!) that is leavened with baking soda. It comes together relatively quickly and requires minimal ingredients.
You can keep this bread plain or add in dried fruit! Want an even more decadent bread? Replace the dried fruit with chocolate chips!
Ingredients
This bread requires just seven ingredients!
- soy milk + lemon juice (vegan buttermilk)
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- vegan butter
- raisins, dried cranberries, dried currants, or vegan chocolate chips (optional)
How to make this bread
You’ll start by making vegan buttermilk with soy milk and lemon juice. Once this curdles, you’ll have a thick, acidic milk to use in the bread.
Next, you’ll make the dough. Stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your hands, cut in cold vegan butter until the butter pieces are very small and well incorporated into the mixture.
Finally, stir in the buttermilk until a dough forms. If adding in dried fruit, add it here. Transfer your dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it a bit, adding in extra flour as needed to create a smooth dough that is not very sticky.
Form the dough into a ball and place on a lined 9″ (23 cm) round pan. Baste with a mixture of soy milk and vegan butter, then bake at 375°F (190°C) for 50-55 minutes, basting with the mixture every 10 minutes.
Once the bread is beautifully golden-brown, take it out of the oven and allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a cutting board and slice and serve!
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Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) soy milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) lemon juice
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (56 g) vegan butter, cold
- 1 cup raisins, dried cranberries, dried currants, or vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Topping:
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a round 9" (23 cm) cake pan or cast iron skillet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and lemon juice and set aside for 10-15 minutes, until curdled.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Chop the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or your hands to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture.
- Stir in the milk mixture. Once the dough comes together, stir in the raisins, if using, and place it on a floured surface and knead it until you have a smooth dough, adding flour as needed so that it's not too sticky to handle.
- Form the dough into a ball and place onto the pan. Using a knife, cut an "X" into the top of the dough.
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk and melted butter for topping. Brush the mixture overtop of the dough, saving the extra mixture for later.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, basting the dough every 10 minutes with the milk mixture (do this quickly to ensure the dough isn't out of the oven for long). Once done, the outside should be golden-brown and the center shouldn't be doughy.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve!
Very easy and good recipe. I used non-sweetened milk so it could have used a bit more sugar for our tastes.
Thanks for sharing.