• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 5 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into cubes
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 heaping Tbsp raspberry jam
• 3 ounces good quality dark chocolate or bittersweet, corsely chopped
• Zest of one orange

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray 8-inch-diameter cast iron skillet with nonstick spray.
3. Whisk flours, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and orange zest in large bowl to blend. Add butter.
4. Using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms.
5. Make well in center of flour mixture.
6. Add buttermilk.
7. Gradually stir dry ingredients into milk to blend.
8. Mix in chocolate. lightly fold in jam, leave it clumpy, don't mix completely in.
9. Dough with be a wet raggy mess. pour into skillet, don't shake the pan to settle the dough.
10. It will get to heavy if you do.
11. Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar or raw sugar.
12. Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
13. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes.
14. Transfer to rack.
15. Serve warm or at room temperature.
16. Notes:
17. I don't exactly know how much jam I used. I just added enough until it looked satisfactory. 3 tablespoons is a guess. Us more or less to suit your taste.
18. If you are using powdered buttermilk just add the powder to the dry ingredients and pour in the 1 cup water just as you would liquid buttermilk.
19. The addition of the cake flour keeps things nice and tender.
20. This isn't a firm loaf. You could add more flour or reduce the liquid if you prefer the traditional shape. This loaf is super moist.
21. I found that with my oven it is best to cook at 425 for 25-30 minutes.
22. The possiblities are endless with this one. Omit the sugar and you have a great savory soda bread base.

Soda breads are so easy and fast. They are great for when you have unexpected company or have to throw something together for a potluck. The leftovers for this sweet version are great the next morning with coffee. The possibilities are endless with this one. Omit the sugar and you have a great savory soda bread base. I usually have all the ingredients for the dough in my pantry and just add what ever I have that is handy.