Tender aromatic Irish Soda Bread with Cherries and Granola Top, just in time for Saint Patrick's Day. A slightly sweet Irish Soda Bread Recipe with chunky goodness.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure the flours, oats, baking soda, salt, and sugar into a large bowl. Mix well, then use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is the size of small peas.
Mix in the orange zest and cherries. Then stir in the buttermilk. Once the mixture forms a ball, dump it out onto a floured surface and knead several times to form a smooth ball. (If the dough is too dry to knead, add 1 -2 tablespoons of extra buttermilk.)
Place the ball on the baking sheet and press down until it's a 2 1/2-inch thick disk. Mix the granola topping ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the top. Then cut a shallow X in the top of the soda bread.
Bake for 45-60 minutes, until golden and crusty. Check the top after 15 minutes. If the granola toppings start to turn too dark, cover loosely with a piece of foil and continue baking. Allow the soda bread to cool for 15 minutes before cutting.