2 cup whole wheat flour

3 cup all purpose flour

⅔ cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp each baking soda, & salt

½ cup cold butter, cut into pieces

2 large eggs, beaten (room temperature)

1 ½ cup buttermilk

15 oz. box raisins

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

3 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

1 ½ cup extra flour, for dusting

extra butter for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour raisins into medium size bowl, cover with water, and microwave on high for 5 minutes. 

Remove from microwave and set aside to cool. 

Then drain completely. 

Leave until ready to use.

 

Sift flour, sugar,salt, baking powder, baking soda together in a large bowl. 

Pour into a food processor that has been fitted with a metal blade. 

Secure lid of processor.

Add the cold butter and pulse 8 to 12 times or until mixture resembles course crumbs.

Add the two beaten eggs and buttermilk and process until dough comes together about a minute or two.

Dust work surface with the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour.

Turn out the dough onto work surface.

Add the plump raisins and optional caraway seeds if using. 

Knead with floured hands until raisins are incorporated into the dough.  

Divide the dough into two equal portions. 

Shape into two round breads.

Transfer to the Cookie Sheet or Loaf Pan.

Brush loaves with egg wash until covered completely.

Then with a serrated knife cut an X in top of each loaf.

Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven  45 to 50 minutes or until top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. 

The bread should sound hallow when tapped on the bottom with a knife. 

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. 

Slice and serve warm with additional butter.

Makes 2 loaves.

Just a word of caution if you do not have a large capacity food processor, you may want to make half the recipe at a time, or finish in a mixer with a dough hook. 

Electric knife works really well for slicing. 

Plumping the raisins adds moisture to the bread.