This post may contain affiliate links. Any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you!
The easiest bread you will ever make- this Cast Iron Skillet Irish Soda bread requires no proofing or kneading, and comes together in less than an hour. Baked in a cast iron skillet, this soda bread has a tender crumb and slight sweetness, perfect for a morning treat or with afternoon tea.
Homemade bread is always a win in my book, especially when it’s easy and delicious. If you’re looking for an easy bread recipe, then look no further! This cast iron skillet Irish soda bread will surly become a new family favorite.
What is Irish Soda Bread?
Soda bread uses baking soda as a leavening agent to make it rise. Unlike traditional yeast breads, soda bread requires no yeast or rise time. By adding buttermilk to the dough, lactic acid forms, causing tiny bubbles to form creating carbon dioxide, which allows the bread to rise quickly.
Irish soda bread is an Irish-American bread usually prepared on or around St. Patricks Day. With a scone like texture, soda bread is the perfect quick bread for any occasion.
Cast Iron Skillet Irish Soda Bread Ingredients:
Simple pantry ingredients come together for this super easy soda bread. Here is what you will need:
- 8×8 cast iron skillet– for even heat distribution
- all purpose-flour– for the base of the bread
- granulated sugar– to add a slight sweetness
- sea salt– all good bread recipes need a decent amount of salt to flour ratio
- baking soda– the leavening agent
- salted butter-for a delicious flavor and texture
- buttermilk– activates the baking soda, and gives the bread moisture
- egg– for a fine crumb and a binding agent
How to make Cast Iron Skillet Irish Soda Bread:
- Prep – Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 8×8 cast iron skillet with butter, or line with parchment paper.
- Whisk dry ingredients – in a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
- Add cold salted butter – for this recipe you will want to make sure the butter is cold. Slice the butter into small pieces. Using your fingers, work the cold butter into the dough until it is evenly buttered and the butter is about the size of small peas.
- Buttermilk – In a measuring cup, beat together the buttermilk and egg. Make a well in the center of the dough and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to over mix!
- Forming the loaf – empty the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. The dough will be sticky and shaggy; if it’s too sticky to handle dust the loaf with one tablespoon of flour at a time until it comes together. Using your hands, gently form the dough into a round loaf.
- Now it’s ready to Bake! – transfer the dough to the buttered skillet and score the top with an “X”. Bake at 375˚F for 45-55minutes, or until the top is golden and a tester inserted comes out clean. The loaf should have a hollow sound when thumped.
After baking, allow the loaf to cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with a dollop of butter, jam or honey.
We topped our soda bread with a drizzle of fresh local honey. My friend is a beekeeper and harvests honey straight from her backyard! Her bees make the most delicious honey- I highly recommend getting your hands on some of her homegrown goodness! You can find her at Bee Happy Farmhouse. She also makes the most wonderful handmade products, you will definitely want to check it out!
There is nothing quite like a homemade quick bread to start the day off right, especially when it’s drizzled with local honey.
More Irish inspired recipes to try:
- Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet with Salted Caramel Whiskey Sauce
- Guinness and Mushroom Cottage Puff Pastry Meat Pie
- Blended Bailey’s Irish Cream Whipped Coffee
- The Easiest Rustic Artisan Bread
We hope you love this Cast Iron Skillet Irish Soda Bread as much as we do! If you give this quick bread a try, please be sure to leave a comment and/or rating below! I truly love hearing from you! And if you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe to the Butternut and Sage newsletter so you never miss a delicious recipe! We have a lot of yummy content coming your way- you definitely wont want to miss it!
If you’re on Instagram be sure to tag us at @butternutandsageblog!
You can also find us on Facebook and Pinterest. 🙂
Recipe
Cast Iron Skillet Irish Soda Bread
Equipment
- 8×8 cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups full fat buttermilk
- 6 Tablespoons cold, salted butter plus more for greasing skillet
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 375˚F. Grease an 8×8 cast iron skillet with ½ Tablespoon of butter or line with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Cut the cold, salted butter into small pieces and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until crumbs about the size of peas form.
- In a measuring glass, beat the egg and buttermilk together. Make a well in the center of the flour, and pour in the buttermilk egg mixture. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix until everything just comes together. Be careful not to over mix.
- Empty out the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and begin to shape it into a round bread loaf. The dough will the shaggy and slightly sticky to the touch. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it can hold its shape. Transfer the loaf to the prepared skillet.
- Using a sharp kitchen knife, score the top of the loaf with an "X". Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a tester inserted comes out clean. The loaf should make a hollow sound if thumped. Allow to cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing. Serve with butter and honey. Enjoy!
Hearty bread! Very tasty! Love it!