Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 3 c. flour
• 1 tbsp. baking power
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• raisins (optional)

Step by step

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda.
• Mix the dry ingredients well and sift them together several times to ensure that the soda is well distributed.
• Mix the egg and buttermilk together.
• Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add the buttermilk and egg mixture to the dry ingredients.
• Mix just until moistened; do not overwork the batter.
• Stir in the butter.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan.
• Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean.
• Remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
• Wrap the loaf in foil overnight.