Mom’s Irish Soda Bread

Makes 2 breads

4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar 
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, room temperature
1 ½ cup currents
1 ¾ cups buttermilk
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter 8-inch cake pan. 

2. Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Cut in butter; using pastry cutter or fingertips, until coarse crumbs form. Stir in currents. 

3. Whisk buttermilk and egg in medium bowl to blend. Add to dough; using wooden spoon, stir just until well incorporated (dough will be very sticky). Turn dough out on a floured surface. Using floured hands knead dough for 2 minutes.

4. Halve the dough and shape each half into a round loaf. Transfer dough to prepared pans; smooth top, mounding slightly in center. Using small sharp knife dipped into flour, cut 1-inch-deep X in top center of dough. Bake until bread is cooked through and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Cool bread in skillet 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in foil; store at room temperature.)