Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this whole wheat Irish soda bread. This is a classic Irish soda bread made with whole wheat flour. You can add in raisins, caraway seeds, even orange zest for a fun twist. This is an easy soda bread made with baking powder so it’s in the oven in under 30 minutes!

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Is there anything better than homemade bread? I know. I totally agree. There isn’t. And there is seriously nothing better when homemade bread takes all of 30 minutes to throw together and is in the oven before you can say Bob’s your uncle.

Ok, I don’t think I have ever said that phrase in my life. Moving on…

Back to the bread.

Now Irish soda bread might be a thing you think to make only once a year. But seriously, after one bite you  might wonder why.

I made a whole wheat version of this bread to make a bit heartier. And healthier I guess. Win win right? I used half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour. I don’t recommend using all whole wheat flour because of the texture. If you’re new to baking then you might want to check out my post on how to measure flour correctly and the different types of flour.

This homemade bread recipe is so easy to make because it doesn’t rely on using yeast, but baking powder and baking soda. So no need to proof anything, wait around for it to rise, and shaping. And all that other jazz. Not that I don’t love a good loaf of artisan crusty homemade bread made with yeast. But sometimes I just need bread. Like now.

And you can make this bread in your stand mixer all in one bowl. After you have measured all your dry ingredients into the bowl, you want to add softened butter to the dry ingredients. If you forgot to take the butter out early (I do this all the time, so I hear ya) then here are 3 fast ways to soften your butter.

Once your butter has been incorporated, then add in your buttermilk and egg. Buttermilk has to give the bread such great flavor and moisture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, then you can make your own buttermilk at home.

Now here is where you can have some fun. You can add in raisins. Caraway seeds. Even orange zest. I tried them all. My favorite combination was the raisins and orange zest. But do what works for you!

And that’s it. You just need to simply pat the dough into a circle onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You can brush the top with a little bit more buttermilk or a sprinkle of sugar for a bit more sweetness.

This bread was so full of flavor and so easy to throw together. So whether you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or just need some amazing bread like yesterday this whole wheat Irish soda bread is it.

Happy baking!

To Make This Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread You Will Need:

• Stand Mixer
• Spatula
• Cookie Sheet
• Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
• Measuring cups and spoons

5 from 1 vote

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Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Cuisine bread

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 1 loaf

Calories 3342 kcal

Author hperine@gmail.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup butter softened, cut into tablespoons
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon orange zest or 1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375oF degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Add in the butter and stir to combine.  Add the buttermilk and egg and stir to combine. 
3. Add in the raisins and either orange zest or caraway seeds if you are using them. You may need to stir this in by hand with a spatula. 
4. Turn the dough onto  your cookie sheet and press together and pat down slightly into about a 10-inch circle. Brush the top with more buttermilk or a sprinkle of sugar. Using a serrated knife, cut an "X" across the top of the bread. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature of 190oF. Cool on a cooling rack. 

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Amount Per Serving

Calories 3342 Calories from Fat 972

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 108g 166%

Saturated Fat 63g 315%

Cholesterol 414mg 138%

Sodium 2913mg 121%

Total Carbohydrates 545g 182%

Dietary Fiber 39g 156%

Sugars 150g

Protein 77g 154%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.