Irish Soda Bread Muffins
Irish Soda Bread Muffins are an ideal choice to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. While Irish soda bread is a staple in Irish cuisine, these muffins are a whole new way to look at this traditional offering.
Studded with tiny dried blueberries and flavored with savory caraway seeds, these delicious treats are a cross between a muffin and a scone (maybe a “scuffin”?). They have a craggy, crunchy exterior (thank you, coarse sugar) and a soft interior. All that’s needed is some soft Irish butter!
Irish soda bread gets its name from the fact that it uses baking soda to rise vs yeast. It also typically includes whole wheat flour to give it a firm bite. I’ve changed this up as I’ve found that soda bread can be very dry. Adding baking powder and eliminating the whole wheat flour made all the difference. And since it’s a muffin, I’ve added sugar to the mix.
I have also used dried blueberries in lieu of currants, only because I couldn’t find currants at the market! Having said that, the blueberries are outstanding!
Whisk the dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and caraway seeds).
Whisk the egg, buttermilk and melted butter in a separate bowl.
Add the dry ingredients and the dried blueberries to the liquid mixture and mix until just combined.
Spoon the batter into a muffin tin and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until golden, about 18 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Serve these delicious “scuffins” with a dollop of salted butter.
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Irish Soda Bread Muffins
Makes: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 & 1/3 cups dried blueberies or currants
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp turbinado or sparkling white sugar, for topping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and caraway seeds.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and melted butter.
Add the dry ingredients and the dried blueberries or currants to the liquid mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix until just combined; the batter will be very thick. Do not overmix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the turbinado (or sparkling white) sugar evenly over the muffins.
Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden and set and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool until ready to serve. Serve warm, preferably with salted butter.
Chef’s Notes:
If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
Make-Ahead Instructions:
These muffins are best served fresh out of the oven but leftovers will keep for a few days in a sealed container at room temperature.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions:
The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.
Recipe adapted from Once Upon a Chef
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