Go Back
mary berry soda bread recipe

Mary Berry Soda Bread Recipe

Soda BreadA quick, no-yeast bread that relies on baking soda and buttermilk for leavening, ready in under an hour. Marked with the traditional cross on top, this rustic loaf has a tender crumb and is perfect served warm with butter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings: 1 Loaf
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: British
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3½ cups 450g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup + 3 tbsps 300ml buttermilk (or ⅔ cup/150ml milk mixed with ½ cup/150ml Greek yogurt as a substitute)
  • About 6 tbsps warm water

Method
 

  1. Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F and lightly greasing a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: 3½ cups (450g) bread flour, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt.
  2. Mix these together thoroughly to guarantee the baking soda is evenly distributed throughout the flour. This step is essential as it helps the leavening agent work uniformly when it comes into contact with the wet ingredients.
  3. Add 1 cup + 3 tbsps (300ml) buttermilk (or the milk and Greek yogurt mixture) to the dry ingredients along with about 6 tbsps warm water, adding the water gradually as needed.
  4. Mix until you form a very soft dough—the consistency should be softer than typical bread dough but not so wet that it becomes sticky and unmanageable.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently shape it into a neat round about 7 inches in diameter, handling it as little as possible to keep the crumb tender.
  6. Place the shaped dough on your prepared baking sheet and use a sharp knife to make a shallow cross in the top of the loaf. This traditional scoring serves both a practical and symbolic purpose.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes, then carefully turn the bread upside-down and continue baking for an additional 10–15 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the finished loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

What are the 4 ingredients in old fashioned Irish Soda Bread?

Traditional Irish soda bread requires just four simple ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. This minimalist recipe reflects Ireland's historical preference for quick, economical bread that required no yeast or lengthy rising time. The beauty of authentic soda bread lies in this simplicity, creating a rustic loaf with minimal effort.
The magic happens when acidic buttermilk reacts with alkaline baking soda, producing carbon dioxide bubbles that leaven the Irish soda bread without yeast. Plain flour, typically wholemeal or a mixture of white and wholemeal, provides structure. Salt enhances flavor and controls the fermentation rate. These four ingredients create the dense, slightly crumbly texture that makes soda bread so distinctive and satisfying.
Modern recipes often add butter, sugar, eggs, or dried fruit, but purists insist these additions create "cake" rather than authentic Irish soda bread. The traditional four-ingredient version was designed for practicality, using ingredients readily available in Irish households. This no-fuss soda bread can be mixed and baked within an hour, making it perfect for last-minute meals. The characteristic cross cut on top wasn't just decorative; it helped heat penetrate the dense dough for even baking.