Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread (Printable)

Rustic Irish bread with whole wheat flour and currants, easy to prepare and bake.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups whole wheat flour
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

→ Add-ins

06 - 3/4 cup dried currants

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar until well combined.
03 - Stir in the dried currants to evenly distribute throughout the flour mixture.
04 - Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the buttermilk and melted butter. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
05 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just enough to bring it together, about 30 seconds. Shape the dough into a round loaf, approximately 7 inches in diameter. Place it on the prepared baking sheet.
06 - With a sharp knife, cut a deep X across the top of the loaf to help it expand properly during baking.
07 - Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
08 - Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing to ensure proper texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under fifteen minutes with zero kneading required
  • The whole wheat flour adds nutty depth without being heavy or dry
  • Currants provide little pockets of sweetness throughout each slice
02 -
  • Overmixing the dough will make your bread tough, so stop as soon as it comes together
  • The hollow tap test is the most reliable way to check for doneness
  • Cutting into the bread while it is too hot will make it gummy inside
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients help the dough come together more easily
  • If you do not have buttermilk, mix regular milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice and let it sit for five minutes

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