Irish Soda Bread and Whiskey Butter

Ingredients

• 1 cup raisins
• 0.5 cups whiskey
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel , Optional
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds , Optional
• 1.33 cups buttermilk
• 0.25 cups butter , melted
• 0.5 cups butter , at room temperature

Instructions

1. 1

   Place raisins into a small bowl. Pour in whiskey and allow to soak, 8 hours to overnight.

2. 2

   The next day, strain raisins, reserving whiskey. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

3. 3

   Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir in drained raisins, orange peel, and caraway seeds. Beat in buttermilk and 1/4 cup melted butter until incorporated and batter is thick. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.

4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Beat 1/2 cup butter in a bowl until fluffy; beat in reserved whiskey, 1 teaspoon at a time, to taste. Serve with soda bread.