Irish Soda Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. caraway seed
1 c. currants or dark raisins
2 c. buttermilk
butter or margarine

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0.
Grease and flour 9-inch cast-iron skillet.
Mix 4 cups of flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and caraway seed.
Stir in currants or raisins, making sure they are separated.
Add buttermilk all at once; mix with fork to form a dough.
Sprinkle approximately 1/4 cup of remaining flour on your work surface.
Turn out the dough; knead for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth.
Use only enough of remaining flour to prevent dough from sticking.
Form dough into smooth, round loaf; press into the pan.
Cut a cross 1/2-inch deep, across the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade.
Bake for 1 hour, until loaf is lightly browned and sounds hollow.
Remove bread to a wire rack.
Rub top with butter; dust with sugar.
Cool 8 hours before serving.