Categories: Breads, Irish 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
  4 1/4 c  All-purpose flour (up to 4          1 tb Caraway seeds 
           -1/2 cups)                          1 c  Dark seedless raisins 
      4 ts Baking powder                       2 c  Buttermilk 
    1/2 ts Baking soda                              Butter 
      1 ts Salt                                     Sugar 
      3 tb Granulated sugar                
  
  Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease a 9-inch black cast-iron skillet or cake 
  pan and dust with flour. 
   
  In a large bowl, mix 4 cups of the flour with the baking powder, baking 
  soda, salt, sugar, and caraway seeds.  Add the raisins, mixing them in with 
  your fingers to make sure they are separated.  Add the buttermilk to the 
  bowl and mix with a fork until the mixture forms a dough. 
   
  Sprinkle about 1/4 cup more of the flour on a board or counter. Turn out 
  the dough and knead for about 5 minutes, working in the flour from the 
  board and forming the dough into a smooth round loaf about 8 inches in 
  diameter.  (If the humidity is high and the dough is very sticky, you may 
  need to add another 1/4 cup of flour to the board.) 
   
  Press the dough evenly into the prepared skillet or pan and cut a cross 1/2 
  inch deep across the top.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the 
  loaf sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom.  Remove the loaf to a wire 
  rack and rub the top with butter.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Let the bread cool 
  completely before slicing. 
   
  This Irish bread tastes even better the second day and is particularly good 
  for breakfast. 
   
  Makes one large loaf. 
   
  [ The Redbook Breadbook ] 
   
  Posted by Fred Peters.