Zeke and Linda's Soda Bread

Zeke and Linda, who are friends from the Novato Elks Lodge, provided this recipe. They say it was lifted from the Fireman's Cookbook.  It is a really great recipe.  Please try.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp plus 1 Tbs shortening (Crisco)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbs caraway seeds
• 2+ cups raisins
• 4 cups flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• Butter

Procedure

• Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch heavy iron frying pan with 2 tsp of shortening.
• In a large mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or a KitchenAid type stand mixer, blend together 1 Tbs shortening and sugar. Combine buttermilk, baking soda, caraway seeds and raisins and stir into the sugar mixture.
• Sift together or combine and aerate with a whisk, flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add this to the buttermilk mixture in batches and beat well. Turn into the prepared frying pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula or butter knife.
• Bake for 1 hour 25 minutes to 30 minutes until top is golden brown. Remove from oven, turn out of frying pan and wrap in a clean dish towel. Prop up and stand the bread vertically on its end and cool for 30 minutes before cutting. Slice and serve with butter.