Irish Brown Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons cold butter
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1-2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment or spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray. *Read shaping instructions below before starting!

2. 2

   Whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, and 2 teaspoons sugar in a bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until pieces are crumb-size. *I suggest grating cold butter with a cheese grater and then crumbling mixture with fingers.

3. 3

   Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the oil and buttermilk. Stir with a spatula until dry mixture is completely moistened.

4. 4

   --- Freeform Shaping Instructions ---

5. 5

   Move the dough to a generously floured surface. The dough will be quite wet. Use flour to avoid sticking and lightly knead the dough a few times and then form into a round ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross into the top of the loaf in an x shape. Brush the top with about 1 tablespoon buttermilk or milk, and sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons sugar over the top.

6. 6

   --- Loaf Pan Instructions ---

7. 7

   Simply pour dough mixture into prepared loaf pans instead of forming into a shape. Depending on your pan size you may get 2-3 smaller loaves or 1-2 large. Fill pans about 3/4 full.

8. 8

   --- Baking Instructions ---

9. 9

   Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375℉, rotate pan and bake another 20-30 minutes or until top is golden brown and skewer comes out clean.

10. 10

    Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before slicing.