Spotted Dog

Bake up this traditional bread for a delicious taste of Ireland.

Spotted Dog

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Serve up a slice of leprechaun luck on St. Patty’s Day or any day you choose with this traditional recipe for spotted dog from popular food and travel writer Margaret Johnson’s latest cookbook, Flavors of Ireland (Ambassador International, $19.99). Often called Irish soda bread in the U.S., the sweet bread is even more delicious with a cup of tea—or a spot of whiskey.


Spotted Dog

Irish Soda Bread
Photo by Nancy Kennedy/Shutterstock

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups raisins
  • 3 teaspoons caraway seeds
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • Softened butter for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9-inch round baking pan.
  2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. Make well in center and stir in eggs, buttermilk, and butter.
  3. Transfer dough to prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until top is golden and skewer inserted into center comes out clean.
  4. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes and then invert bread onto rack, and let cool completely before slicing. Serve slices spread with butter.

Brew up Margaret Johnson’s delicious recipe for Irish Guinness oatmeal cake here.

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