Vegan Cinnamon Raisin Soda Bread

Name: Vegan Cinnamon Raisin Soda Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar; 2 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon; 1¼ tsp (6 g) baking soda; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt; 4 tbsp (57 g) vegan butter block, cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes; ¾ cup (110 g) raisins; 1¼ cups (300 ml) unsweetened plain soy milk, cold; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface and hands; 1 tbsp (15 ml) unsweetened plain soy milk, for brushing the top; 1 tbsp (12 g) turbinado or coarse sugar; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon, mixed with the turbinado sugar

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rustic Irish-style round loaf with a crackly, cinnamon-sugar crust and a tender, soft crumb studded with plump raisins. Soy milk soured with lemon juice stands in for buttermilk, so it's fully vegan and needs no yeast, no kneading and no rising time.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 50 min
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Makes: 1 round loaf (8 wedges)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon
1¼ tsp (6 g) baking soda
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
4 tbsp (57 g) vegan butter block, cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
¾ cup (110 g) raisins
1¼ cups (300 ml) unsweetened plain soy milk, cold
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
For shaping and topping
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface and hands
1 tbsp (15 ml) unsweetened plain soy milk, for brushing the top
1 tbsp (12 g) turbinado or coarse sugar
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon, mixed with the turbinado sugar

Equipment (9)

Large rimmed baking sheet or 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron skillet
Parchment paper
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Liquid measuring cup (2-cup / 500 ml)
Sharp serrated or paring knife for scoring
Pastry brush
Wire cooling rack
Instant-read thermometer (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Chill the vegan butter in the fridge until you need it; cold fat gives a more tender crumb.
Use unsweetened, plain soy milk. Sweetened or vanilla versions make the loaf too sweet and can brown too quickly.
Check that your baking soda is fresh (less than 6 months open). Soda bread relies on it entirely for lift.
Have everything measured before you add the wet ingredients. Once the soda meets the acid, work quickly and get the loaf into the oven.

1
Preheat and line panOven 425°F / 220°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C).
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly flour a 10-inch / 25 cm cast-iron skillet).
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Ready when: Oven reaches 425°F (220°C) and the pan is lined.
Tip: An oven thermometer helps; a cool oven gives a pale, dense loaf.
2
Sour the soy milk
- Pour the 1¼ cups (300 ml) cold soy milk into a liquid measuring cup and stir in the lemon juice.
- Set aside for 5 minutes while you mix the dry ingredients.
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Ready when: The milk looks slightly thickened and has small curdled flecks.
Tip: Don't worry if it looks curdled; that is exactly what you want.
3
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 375 g flour, 38 g sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1¼ tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt for about 30 seconds, until the cinnamon is evenly distributed and no streaks remain.
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Ready when: The mixture is a uniform pale tan with no white or brown streaks.
Tip: Break up any lumps of baking soda with the back of a spoon so you don't get bitter pockets.
4
Cut in the butter
- Add the cold vegan butter cubes.
- Rub them into the flour with your fingertips, pressing and crumbling, for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks like coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
Tip: Work fast so the butter stays cold and doesn't melt into the flour.
5
Add the raisins
- Stir the raisins into the flour mixture so each one is coated in flour.
- This keeps them from clumping together in the dough.
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Ready when: Raisins are separated and evenly dusted.
Tip: If your raisins are very dry and hard, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat very dry.
6
Mix the dough
- Make a well in the center and pour in the soured soy milk.
- Using a fork, then your hand, stir just until a shaggy, sticky dough forms and no dry flour remains, about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Do not knead.
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Ready when: Dough is shaggy and tacky but holds together, with no dry pockets of flour.
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes soda bread tough and dense.
7
Shape the loaf
- Turn the dough onto a surface dusted with the 2 tbsp flour.
- With floured hands, gently fold the dough over itself 3 or 4 times just to bring it together, then pat into a round about 7 inches (18 cm) across and 1½ inches (4 cm) thick.
- Transfer to the prepared pan.
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Ready when: A smooth-ish, domed round that holds its shape.
Tip: Move quickly; the baking soda starts reacting as soon as it gets wet.
8
Score and top
- Mix the turbinado sugar with the ½ tsp cinnamon.
- Brush the top of the loaf with the 1 tbsp soy milk.
- With a sharp knife, cut a deep cross about ½ inch (1.25 cm) deep, from edge to edge.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top.
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Ready when: Cross is clearly cut and the top is evenly coated in sugar.
Tip: Deep cuts let heat reach the center so the middle bakes through.
9
Bake at high heatOven 425°F / 220°C
- Bake on the center rack at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes, until the loaf has risen and begun to turn golden.
- Do not open the oven door during this time.
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Ready when: Loaf is puffed with a pale golden crust.
10
Lower heat and finishOven 400°F / 205°C
- Reduce the oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake 22 to 25 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil.
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Ready when: Deep golden crust, hollow sound when tapped, and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 200°F (93°C).
Tip: If the cross still looks doughy inside, bake 5 minutes longer.
11
Cool before slicing
- Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing, so the crumb sets.
- Cut into 8 wedges with a serrated knife.
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Ready when: Loaf is just warm to the touch.
Tip: Slicing too early makes the interior gummy.

Good to know

Tips

Handle the dough as little as possible. A light touch gives a tender crumb, while overworking makes it tough.
Get the loaf into the hot oven quickly after mixing, since the baking soda starts working as soon as it's wet.
Serve warm, spread with vegan butter or jam, or toast slices the next day.
Add ½ tsp orange zest to the wet ingredients for a bright, fragrant variation.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: wrap tightly or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days (best eaten the day it's baked). Fridge: up to 5 days, wrapped well. Freezer: slice, wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat slices in a toaster or wrapped whole loaf at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes.

Substitutions

unsweetened plain soy milk → unsweetened oat or almond milk. Soy curdles best with lemon, but oat or almond milk also works; the dough may be slightly looser.
fresh lemon juice → apple cider vinegar. Use 1 tbsp (15 ml); it sours the milk equally well.
raisins → currants, chopped dried cranberries or sultanas. Use the same weight (110 g).
vegan butter block → refined coconut oil, chilled until solid. Use 4 tbsp (50 g) and cut in as you would butter.