Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare a 2.5 quart casserole pan (8x3) or muffin tin with a baking spray or butter.

Mix flour with sugar, baking powder salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until it resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and remove a tablespoon to brush on top of the muffins or the large bread before baking if you want them shiny. I have made it both ways with or without egg on top of great results.

Add buttermilk and eggs to the flour mixture, the dough will be very sticky.

You can mix it with a mixer and dough hook if you prefer or with a wooden spoon in a bowl.

Add raisins and mix together until they are incorporated.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and with floured hands knead the dough about 10 times.

Place the dough formed into a ball into the prepared dish, and slice an x into the dough.

You can bake this in a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Or you can bake these as muffins, place three tablespoons into each well of the muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Insert a toothpick to check to see the bread is not moist inside.

Let the Irish soda bread cool and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

* You can find dry buttermilk, that you can add water to in the baking section. Buttermilk adds a rich flavor to scones, biscuits, cakes, and pancakes.