in olden days the flour that was comenly available in Ireland was of a low gluten contant and did not bake a good quality of yeast bread.  Soda bread was mostly made with the brown flour  which was the easeist to get.  here in america we adjusted the formula to the flours we could get here.

little mixing and levened mostly with bakeing powder (which is soda and acids) is quick and easy to prepair

happy St patrick's day to all

IRISH SODA BREAD

SUGAR----8-OZ
SALT 1/2 OZ
SHORTENING 8-OZ

EGGS 4 OZ
BUTTER MILK 2 LB = 1 QUART
WATER 4 OZ= RINSE OUT THE MILK CONTAINER WITH THIS AND PUT IN SO YOU GET ALL THE MILK.

BREAD FLOUR  2 LB 8 OZ
CAKE FLOUR 1 LB
BAKING POWDER 3 OZ

RAISNES 8 OZ--MORE IF YOU WANT
CARRAWAY SEEDS OPTIONAL

MIX JUST UNTILL STICKY

weght 1 lb 2 oz for a one pound loaf make into balls without using to much force lose balls
flaten them down leaving the middle thicker then sides USING CAKE FLOUR
cut a cross in the loafs and sprinkel the tops with more cake clour if needed

bake them in 7 inch layer cake pans lightly greased 
8 inch layer cake pans 1 and 1/2 pounds
9 inch pans scale the balls about 2 pounds

7 or 8 inch pie plates work well also

OVEN TEMP 350 F

this mix makes about 6 round 1 pound loafs