Irish Bread ♥

Hello Friends! We have finally made it to March!  (I'm going to totally ignore the miserable weather and concentrate on all that is good about March : ) On Saturday night we turned the clocks ahead, which means I am no longer driving home from work in the dark.  Yay!  I feel like the nights are longer when we aren't eating dinner in the dark. I'm seeing more and more birds appearing in the yard and I'm eagerly anticipating my flowers sprouting.  My hubby said he saw some buds poking through in the backyard today but I haven't ventured back there yet.  I'm hoping to see purple crocuses!  Fingers crossed!

 

 

March also means St Patrick's Day is coming.  We'll go to my parent's house for our annual boiled dinner.  We only eat it once a year so maybe that's why it tastes so good.  I also bought myself a lucky shamrock plant at the market and I made Irish Bread ♥

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you like Irish Bread? This recipe is particularly good.  I got it from a friend of mine at work a few years ago.  Irish Bread has a tendency to be dry, but not this one. It has sour cream in it which makes the bread very moist. The recipe also calls for a sprinkle of sugar on top before baking which adds a sweetness to it.  It's so good!

 

 

 

 

 

Here's how to make it:

 

1 cup raisins

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 eggs

  

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Grease a 10 inch round baking pan. 

 

Soak raisins in a small bowl of boiled water and put aside for about 5 minutes.  Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together. Mix in the caraway seeds.  Drain raisins and add to the flour mixture. 
 

 

 

 

In a separate bowl mix the melted butter, sugar, sour cream, and eggs.  Blend alternately with flour mixture until everything is combined into a smooth, creamy batter. 
 

 

 

Pour batter into pan and sprinkle the top generously with sugar. 

 

 

 

Bake for one hour.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn onto rack to cool.

 

 

 

 

I usually put a little butter on Irish Bread, but with this recipe you really don't need it.  It's perfect as is.  FYI - It's also yummy with cream cheese on it! But honestly, what isn't good with cream cheese on it?

 

Nothing : )

 

 

I'll have to make another loaf for our St Patrick's Day desert since this one is already gone. 

 

 

 

I'm starting to slowly bring out my Spring decorations starting with this sunhat (that my mother made for me ♥ ) and hung it on the front door.  I'm hoping it wards away snow and any other possible storms coming our way.  Winter, we are so over you!

 

 

 

 

So that's March! How's it going for you so far?

 

Spring is almost here! xo