Posted by quinn
on March 17, 2009, 4:49 am
71.242.96.168
Wishing you always -
Walls for the wind,
A roof for the rain,
And tea beside the fire.
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all that your heart might desire.
I've spent the last three days baking Irish Soda Bread and I am sooo tired! But I wanted to wish every a Happy St Patrick's Day and offer virtual Irish tea, coffee and soda bread! 
Here's a foolproof recipe for Irish Soda Bread. I collect recipes for it but this is the only one I've used for over 25 years:
1/4 pound unsalted butter (room temperature) (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs or 5 small-medium eggs
4 cups flour
1 pint sour cream (16 oz container)
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda***
1/2 teaspoon salt***
raisins
caraway seeds (optional but avoid them if serving to anyone who may have diverticulitis. I haven't used them in years and no one seems to mind!)
*** baking soda and salt must be in equal measure - if one is greater than the other the bread may have brownish streaks although it won't affect the flavor. You can use salted butter but if you do pinch a wee bit of salt out of the measuring spoon to compensate!
Mix the butter, sugar, eggs and sour cream together until well mixed. Mix all dry
ingredients together and then mix into the egg mixture. Add raisins and optional caraway seeds. The batter/dough should be fairly thick & heavy. It may seem different (dryer/wetter, smooth/lumpy) from time to time based on the size of eggs and the weather (humidity & temperature) but the recipe always seem to work!
Pour into greased pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 70 minutes depending on size of pans used. (The smaller the pan, the shorter the time.)
Possible pans and amounts this will make:
5 mini loaf
3 loaf or small rounds
2 large loaf or 8- or 9-inch rounds
1 giant loaf pan
1 springform pan
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