IRISH QUICK BREAD

A good friend of mine gave me this recipe a few weeks ago, and I think that I have already made it four times, as it is so good. It is called Irish Bread, though it is not a soda bread - rather it turns out very dense, almost cake-like with a sprinkling of raisins throughout. Enjoy.

3/4 cup sugar (plus a little to sprinkle on top)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup raisins or currants

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add buttermilk and egg and blend.

In another bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix only until moistened. Fold in raisins or currants. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with a little sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees F for thirty minutes and then turn the oven down to 325 degrees F and bake for another 30 minutes.

Source: Rec.food.cooking/Leslie Ellen Forte (1992)