Irish Soda Bread with Tart Cherries is great all year round. Baking soda makes it rise and there is no kneading or waiting!
I’ve always liked the idea of being a little Irish. My maternal grandfather passed when I was young and family stories said he was Irish and English. My niece is doing a DNA test, so maybe we’ll know for sure soon, but in the meantime I’ll claim the heritage and celebrate with Irish food.
For St. Patrick’s Day I made a relaxed Irish-style dinner for neighbors and tried a version of Irish soda bread that stole the show. It’s a quick, sweet style of soda bread — no yeast, no long rising times, and only minimal handling. It was so good I had to share the recipe right away.
I was first inspired after sampling soda bread at Sprouts Farmers Market. Their loaf was unexpectedly sweet, studded with dried fruit and finished with a coarse sugar crust. I liked that sweeter approach and adapted a recipe I’d seen on a friend’s blog, making a few changes to match what I’d tasted at the store. The result was even better than I expected.
The beauty of soda bread is how simple it is. Baking soda (and a bit of baking powder in my version) provides the lift, so there’s no kneading or waiting for the dough to rise. I meant to use raisins like the store version, but my pantry was out. I’d recently bought dried tart Montmorency cherries and tried those instead — they were a perfect swap, bright and slightly tangy against the sweet crumb.
For the topping I used a sprinkling of demerara sugar, which gives a pleasant crunch and a hint of caramel flavor without making the loaf overly sweet. A light hand is all you need to get that special finish.
My guests loved it — people reached for seconds, and the twin ten-year-olds gave me that hopeful look asking to take some home. The recipe yields a generous loaf; it easily fed five at dinner and left me with a couple of slices for breakfast the next day. It’s especially delicious with a good butter, such as Irish-style butter, if you have it on hand.
I’ll definitely make this again and not wait until next March. It’s now a regular in my baking rotation and I’ve already started experimenting with other variations — a version with oatmeal, brown sugar, orange zest and even a Guinness twist is coming soon.
I did have a small hiccup the first time I made it — I forgot the butter for the glaze — so I’ll be making it again to double-check every step. Even with that slip, the bread was a hit.
More Favorite Breads
- Bananas Foster Banana Bread
- Peanut Butter and Banana Bread
- Caramel Apple Monkey Bread
- Sunflower Seed Bread
- Honey Butter Beer Bread
- Billowy Off-White Bread with Honey
- Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread
- Lemon Summer Squash Bread with Lemon Glaze
- Dilly Casserole Bread – 1960 Pillsbury Bake-Off Winner
- Naan – A Traditional Indian Flatbread
- Asian Sweet Bread
More Irish Favorites
- Irish Whiskey Steak
- Irish Colcannon with Bacon
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Homemade Reuben Sandwiches
- Dubliner Beef Burger with Irish Stout Ketchup
- Homemade Guinness Irish Stout Ketchup
- Irish Coffee Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks
- Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Stout Brownies
- ‘Irish Coffee’ Dessert Cake
Irish Whiskey or Liqueur Cocktails
- Baby Guinness Cocktail
- Iced Irish Coffee Cocktail
- Irish Cream with Irish Whiskey Cocktail – The Toast
- Guinness Float with Irish Cream Liqueur
- Guinness Vanilla Malted Milkshake
- Kahlua and Irish Whiskey Frozen Cocktail
PIN IT! ‘ Irish Soda Bread with Tart Cherries’
Irish Soda Bread with Tart Cherries
Barb
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 8 ounces butter chilled and cut into 8 slices
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk (see Notes)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup tart cherries dried (see Notes)
For the glaze:
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
For the Top:
- 2-3 tablespoons demerara sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
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In a food processor (or a mixing bowl), combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; pulse or whisk just to mix thoroughly.
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Add the chilled butter and pulse or cut it into the dry ingredients until the pieces are about half the size of a pea. Transfer to a bowl, add the dried cherries and toss to coat with the dry mix.
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Whisk the buttermilk and egg together, then pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
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Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. The dough should be manageable, not sticky — add a little flour if needed. Shape into a round and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Mix the melted butter and 2 tablespoons buttermilk and brush over the loaf. Cut a cross in the top with a knife, sprinkle with demerara sugar, and bake 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes
Dried tart cherries: Traditional soda bread often uses raisins, but any dried fruit works. Choose what you prefer.
Mixing without a food processor: Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and cut in the chilled butter with a pastry cutter or fork, or grate the butter on a box grater and work it into the flour until incorporated.