Anne’s grandmother – Mary (Polly) McDonald – made Irish soda bread for us. We loved to toast it and slather it with butter. I think we mostly loved it because our adorable, blue-eyed smiling Grandma made it. It was a bit dry. Lois got this recipe on a trip to South Carolina from the hotel newspaper. Of course she got in touch with the author – as Nana and Grandpa always do. The author was thrilled that she loved the bread! Nana is great at bestowing compliments and praise always.
We have named it “Nana McDonald’s South Carolina Soda Bread”
Nana McDonald’s South Carolina Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons Irish Whiskey
- 1 heaping teaspoon sweet orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds optional
- 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Spray 9×9 baking square with oil.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add raisins, whiskey, marmalade, and caraway seeds.
- Stir in buttermilk and melted butter to make a thick batter.
- Spread the butter in the prepared dish.
- Bake 45 minutes or until top of bread is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.