Irish Buttermilk Brown Bread

Hello friends!

Ah, Irish Buttermilk Brown Bread! Like the classic soda bread but unlike with the combination of whole wheat flour, oats, wheat bran, molasses, and buttermilk. Of all the traditional foods served to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, this may be my favorite. This 100% whole grain bread gets its crackly-crunch crust from a touch of sugar, molasses, and tangy buttermilk. This easy classic bread is mixed in one bowl, no kneading and baked in an hour. It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without a nod to this delicious bread. Butter? Check. Marmalade? Check. Delicious? Check.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Bake time: 45-55 minutes

Meet ya in the kitchen!

For the bread:

2 cups (315 g) whole wheat flour

1 cup (144 g) all-purpose flour

½ cup (30 g) Hodgson Mill wheat bran*

* (Or 1/2 cup wheat germ or oat bran to replace the wheat bran in the recipe.)

½ cup (58 g) Old-Fashioned Oats

½ cup sugar (105 g)

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons molasses-optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8-inch cake pan, or an 8” or 9” cast-iron skillet.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.

Try mixing up your whole wheat flour and oats with, oat bran or wheat germ.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk and molasses. Stir together until blended and no dry spots remain. The dough will be soft and sticky.

A quick mix

Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, mounding in the center. Using the tines a fork, rake the top of the bread for a craggy, crunchy crust.

Use the fork tines to rough up the top of bread

Using a knife, cut a deep cross on top.

Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or if using an instant-read thermometer, the temperature should read 190 degrees. Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.