Chocolate and Cherry Soda Bread

Leavened with baking soda paired with buttermilk, this bread is easy and quick. This version, packed with dark hocolate and cherries, is an ideal treat for weekend brunch with a little butter or nutella and a cup of freshly brewed tea or coffee. Since we used baking soda as the primary leavener in this recipe, you are going to use natural cocoa powder rather than Dutch-processed which is treated with an alkali. Therefore it lacks the acid needed to activate the baking soda, which can lead to a poorly risen bread. But if you don’t have it, it’s not the end of the world either as the recipe also calls for lots of acidic buttermilk.


500 g Plain flour 2 tbsp Cocoa powder (preferably natural cocoa powder) ¼ tsp Sea salt 1 tsp Baking soda 1 tbsp Erythritol or sugar (up to 3 tbsp if you prefer it sweeter) 380-400 ml Buttermilk 120 g Dark chocolate, chopped 120 g Candied cherries, chopped 1 tbsp Butter, optional

Preheat the oven to 220C/430F. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sea salt, baking soda and erythritol or sugar.
Add in the chopped dark chocolate and candied cherries and whisk again. Make a well in the centre. Pour in 380 ml buttermilk and using your hand or a fork, stir just until the ingredients are incorporated. Add the remaining buttermilk if the mixture is too dry. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and form into a round. Place it on the prepared baking tray. Cut a deep cross in the top with a sharp knife to help the dough rise.
Bake for 15 minutes, reducing the oven to 200C/400F, and continue to bake for a further 25-30 minutes. Turn the bread over and bake for 5 more minutes, or until it sounds hollow when the base is tapped. Remove and brush the soda bread with butter and enjoy it while still warm.

8 comments:

DEZMOND 1/3/26 13:15: Looks a bit fugly but I bet it is soft und lecker. I baked some glufree sugarfree apfel zinnamon almond muffins today for my afternoon pleasure.
My So-Called RP Life 1/3/26 14:12: Such a wonderful treat! Looks amazing!
Ivy's Closet 1/3/26 14:17: So delicious! Very tempting!
David M. Gascoigne, 1/3/26 14:28: I have had soda bread, and I have had chocolate, but never chocolate soda bread. What am I missing?
Tom 1/3/26 14:28: ...chocolate and cherry go well together.
Judee 1/3/26 14:30: I've never seen chocolate soda bread. It looks really delicious and Im sure the cherries put it over the edge.
Anonymous 1/3/26 14:59: Love anything with chocolate -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
Anonymous 1/3/26 15:34: Looks great, Angie -- but two things my husband hates are chocolate mixed with fruit (especially cherries) and soda bread.