Slow Cooker Soda Bread – Quick and Easy Recipe

This slow cooker soda bread recipe. Is one that I have adapted from an oven-baked version, to work in my slow cooker.
Soda bread is an easy, no-yeast bread. Similar to scones. It uses baking powder and bicarbonate of soda as the rising agents.
It is also a great quick slow cooker bread as it involves minimal preparation. Very little kneading. And no proofing or rising! Plus it uses everyday store cupboard ingredients.

I’ve included the option of adding dried vine fruits. To make this soda bread perfect for tea-time. To be eaten warm, with lots of butter and jam or honey!

Slow Cooker Soda Bread – UK Recipe

Ingredients

• 180 ml milk.
• 1 tb vinegar.
• 350 g plain flour.
• 1 tsp baking powder.
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda.
• 3 tb sugar.
• pinch of salt.
• 50 g butter or margarine.
• 60 g dried fruit (optional). Such as raisins or sultanas.

Method

1. Mix the milk with the vinegar and leave to stand for 10 minutes. This will thicken the milk.
2. Line the inside of the slow cooker pot, with parchment paper. Enough to cover the base, and halfway up the sides.
3. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dried ingredients, except the dried fruits if using.
4. Slowly pour in the milk mixture, stirring gently to bring it together into a dough. Don’t overmix, to make sure that the resulting bread will be tender and soft.
5. Add the fruits to the bowl, if using. And turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Gently knead to shape it into a round loaf. Pressing the fruits into the dough as you do so. Use minimal kneading, until it just comes together.
6. Cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf, as shown in the photo above. And place onto the paper in the slow cooker pot.
7. Cook in the slow cooker on High. After 1 hour and 30 minutes, use oven gloves and the parchment paper to lift the bread out. Turn the bread upside down, (the base should now be cooked and golden). Put the bread with the paper liner back into the cooker pot. And cook for a further 30 mins.

Additional Notes

1. If you have it, you can use buttermilk (as is traditional in Irish soda bread), instead of the milk and vinegar.
2. Don’t knead the dough too much. Or add too much extra flour when kneading. As this will result in a tough bread. A slightly sticky dough is better for a softer, more tender loaf.
3. Cooking the bread upside down for the last 30 minutes of cooking, will ensure the top is also properly cooked and golden.
4. Soda bread doesn’t keep for long compared to yeasted breads. And is best eaten on the day it is made. But leftovers are still good the next day, though it might need toasting.

For details of the slow cooker I used for this slow cooker soda bread recipe. See my post: Morphy Richards 3.5L Slow Cooker.

More Slow Cooker UK Bread Recipes

For more slow cooker UK bread recipes. You might like:
* Slow Cooker Cornbread UK Recipe – No Yeast, No Knead Bread.
* Simple Bread Rolls for the Slow Cooker.
* Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls with Sultanas UK Recipe.