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Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter

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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a warm hunk of Irish soda bread slathered with orange butter. This easy recipe is flavored with buttermilk and orange and pairs just as well with coffee or a pint! Cheers!

Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter

“I love bread!” No offense to Oprah, but I’m pretty sure she stole that from me. And it’s true, I think it would be physically, and even more so mentally impossible, for me to go carb free.  Call it addiction or obsession. Bah, I call it love.

Here’s my dream food day:

Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter

Breakfast: A big hunk of toasted bread or a flaky biscuit, butter very liberally applied. Pair it with my own pot of strong coffee. Done.

Lunch: Warm, velvety bowl of soup, maybe a small salad and of course bread to dip in the soup. (And I’ll probably still be drinking that coffee even though it’s gone cold.)

Dinner: Bread, cheese, olives, charcuterie, some berries and big glass of wine (red, white or rosé depending on the season and/or mood).

Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter

So, the theme is glaringly obvious here (other than I never drink water)…every meal on my dream day is carb, and more specifically, bread-friendly. Now, of course that’s not a realistic meal plan for daily living, although I’m pretty sure I’ve had a couple of these days this winter.

But yeah, normally if I go all toast in the am, then I try to ease up the rest of the day or vice versa. Moderation right?

Well, speaking of moderation, you better head somewhere else today if that’s what you’re after. I have once again teamed up with some fabulous food bloggers to bring you another virtual foodie party. And of course with St. Patrick’s Day only one week away (drum roll please) may I present our St. Patrick’s Day Feast (you can follow all the goodness on Instagram with this hashtag: #saintpatricksdayfeast2017)!

Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter

My contribution is a (mostly) traditional soda bread with orange butter. The only tweak from a traditional recipe is the addition of a little sugar and orange zest. I love the slightly citrus flavor the zest brings to the bread, but if you’re not super citrusy, feel free to omit.

Oh, and by the way, DO NOT be intimidated because this is called bread. It only has 6 ingredients other than brush of butter and sprinkle of sugar over the top and is easier than biscuits, cookies or my 5th grader’s math homework (quite frankly a lot easier than his homework).

The key is not to over-knead…actually I don’t really knead at all. I more or less gather the dough and form it into a ball, cut a criss-cross, cover (yes cover) and bake. There’s quick and easy video tutorial below just to prove I’m not pulling your chain.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter

Now enough about me…here’s a ridiculously tasty St. Patrick’s Day line-up complete with cocktails. Enjoy!

The Road to Honey ·  Guinness Irish Stew Mini Pot Pies
The Sweet Nerd · Get Charmed By Double Spice Chocolate Cookies
Girl Heart Food · Shepherd’s Pie {with Guinness Lamb & Horseradish Mash}
No Spoon Necessary · Sour Apple Tequila Cocktail – The Lucky Shamrock
The Beach House Kitchen · Bangers and Mash with Guiness Onion Gravy
Beyond Mere Sustenance · St. Patrick’s Lemon Cucumber Martini With Fresh Basil
Seasons & Suppers · Irish Spice Bag
Ciao Chow Bambina · Chocolate Stout No-Churn Ice Cream with Homemade Toffee Crumble
The Busy Spatula · Lucky Charms Churros & Real Pistachio Pudding
Beer Girl Cooks · Raspberry Chocolate Milk Porter Pudding Shooters
Salt & Lavender · Pork Chops with an Irish Whiskey Sauce
Kevin Is Cooking · Colcannon Irish Mashed Potatoes
Calizona · Black Lentil Roasted Broccoli Shepards’s Pie
Sugarhero · Baileys Chocolate Caramel Tarts
Salted Plains · Vegan Mint Chocolate Bark
Meg Is Well · Boozy Irish Coffee Milkshake with Baileys Caramel Drizzle

 

3.75 from 4 votes
Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter on a wire rack with a jar of honey, fresh oranges and a green pitcher in the background.
Print
Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a warm hunk of Irish soda bread slathered with orange butter. This easy recipe is flavored with buttermilk and orange and pairs just as well with coffee or a pint! Cheers!

Course: Bread
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For...
Ingredients
  • Irish Soda Bread
  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
  • 2 Tbsp butter melted (+ 1 Tbsp butter for greasing the pan)
  • 2 tsp sugar

  • Orange Butter
  • 4 oz unsalted butter softened
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 1 Tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange liqueur
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • *additional honey for serving
Instructions
  1. Irish Soda Bread: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and grease the bottom of a ceramic dutch oven (or a non-greased cast iron skillet if you prefer).
  2. In a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar, salt, soda and zest.
  3. Add in the buttermilk and stir until just combined.
  4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a round, no need to knead.
  5. Cut a cross in the center. I make mine a little deeper for a flatter, crustier bread. Make shallower cuts for a higher bread.
  6. Transfer to the prepared pan and brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
  7. Cover and bake for 30 mins, remove the cover and continue to bake an additional 12-15 mins, or until golden brown.
  8. Cool slightly and serve warm with orange butter and honey.
  9. Orange Butter: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and well blended. Alternatively, beat in a mixing bowl with an electric beater.
Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter

About Cathy Roma

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

    Your diet sounds like my diet Cathy! Full of delicious bread! I’ve been trying to cut down, but I’ll totally make an exception for this yummy Irish Soda Bread! I love the citrus addition and that orange butter! I’d have a hard time enjoying just one piece!!

    Reply

    • Cathy says

      Thanks Mary Ann. Remembering that beautiful bread you brought when we met over the summer. Long live bread!

  2. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

    Oh, how I love bread too…..and butter!!!! Is anything more satisfying! So good! I agree with you – everything in moderation. I don’t like to deny myself any one food. Eat something indulgent here, eat something lighter there, ya know? This bread sounds amazing and that butter? Swoooooon. Just love that pic too with the honey dripping. Pinned! It’s been so much fun, once again, collaborating with you guys! Have a fantastic weekend, my friend 🙂

    Reply

  5. annie@ciaochowbambina says

    No prettier words have ever been written… ‘warm hunk of Irish soda bread slathered with orange butter… Pairs well with coffee or a pint!’ Ahhh, you had my attention at word one! This bread would make Oprah very happy!! Well done, my friend!

    Reply

    • Cathy says

      Haha thanks Annie! Everything should pair well with coffee or a pint, or wine…right?!

  7. Cindy says

    5 stars
    I like your theme! A day without bread, just should not be, especially on those lucky days. I am in love with the orange butter. YUMMY!

    Reply

  8. Tamara Andersen says

    5 stars
    I am so with you on your “dream day” and lots of bread! Oh how I love bread… I deprive myself of its deliciousness too often. Your Irish Soda Bread with Orange Butter is just so beautiful and delicious looking. It’s breaking down my will power!

    Reply

  9. Tara says

    I might try this! Your very Irish Aunt Mary would put currants in (and caraway seeds ON) but I like some orange zest in my baked things. Probably could do both!

    Reply

  10. Lynn | The Road to Honey says

    Ha! Ha! I thought Oprah stole that quote from you. Thanks for confirming my suspicions. As for the dream meal. . .I think we are dream meal twins except I would have to add pizza to the menu. . .because you know. . .more bread. And speaking of bread. Holy cow!!!! This bread looks completely & utterly irresisitble especially with that smear of orange butter on top. I think you are definitely going to need to hide this beauty from Oprah!!

    Reply

    • Cathy says

      OH MY! How in the world did I leave off pizza. You’re absolutely right Lynn. NOW, it’s a dream day.

  11. Meg | Meg is Well says

    5 stars
    I LOVE how crusty the top of this looks but how fluffy it is in the middle! You and me feel the same way about carbs, so I’m super happy that today isn’t about moderation! That soft and creamy slab of orange butter smeared on the bread is making me drool so much!

    Reply

  16. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    5 stars
    Hahahahaha! I love bread too… and I’m pretty sure Oprah can’t make a claim to that statement. Isn’t she on a diet now? That means MORE bread for me! Lol. I kid. Anyways, you just CAN’T celebrate St. Patty’s without Irish Soda bread and yours looks absolutely DELICIOUS, Cathy! And that orange butter sounds like the perfect smear! Seriously, I could make a meal out of JUST this bread and butter. YUM! Pinned! Cheers, friend!

    Reply

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