Lavender & Lemon Irish Soda Bread

A round of lemon lavender soda bread that's been cut.

Lavender & Lemon Irish Soda Bread

Lavender and Lemon Irish Soda bread is a sweet addition to brunch or tea. It's special enough for Mother's Day but easy enough for every day! Buttery, citrus flavor with a thin, crisp sugar crust. If you don't have lavender just omit it - it will still be delicious! Easy recipe.

Course Bread

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Cooling Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 155kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Equipment

Baking Sheet

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup white sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 tablespoons lavender buds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup butter ,chilled in the freezer for 10 minutes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Spray 8-inch-diameter cake pan with nonstick spray, or butter it. Or just use parchment on a cookie sheet. This bread is super forgiving.
Whisk flour, sugar, lemon zest/peel, lavender buds, salt, and baking soda in large bowl to blend.
Grate butter into the dry ingredients.
Mix with a fork until the butter is evenly mixed in the dry ingredients.
Make well in center of flour mixture.
Mix the buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture.
Stir to blend.
Using floured hands, shape dough into ball.
Transfer to prepared pan and flatten slightly.
Cut a cross shape in top of dough.
Sprinkle dough with sugar.
Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Cool bread 10 minutes.

Notes

If you don't have lavender, or prefer not to get it, it's fine to omit.
This bread stores about 2 days at room temperature.
You can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Orange may be substituted for the lemon - leave the lavender out.
Use the largest side of the grater to grate the butter.

Nutrition