Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and position the rack in the center of the oven.

Trace the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan (I love this one) on a piece of parchment paper and cut it out. Place the circle in the bottom of the round pan and set aside. You can also use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, but the loaf might spread out more and not be quite as tall.

In a large bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. (see notes)

Pour buttermilk, whisked egg, and melted butter over the flour mixture and whisk/stir just until combined. This should create a thick and sticky dough.

Fold in the raisins with a spatula. This will be a little tricky because the dough is so thick, so just do your best.

Dust the counter with a couple tablespoons of gluten-free flour and turn the dough out onto it, turning it to coat the entire surface in flour.

Dust your hands with a little flour and gently shape the dough into a large round loaf about 8 or 9 inches in diameter. Be careful to not work much extra flour into the dough.

Transfer the round loaf into your prepared pan.

Using a sharp knife, cut two intersecting slits in the top of the loaf to make a cross. The slits should be about ¼ inch deep and 3 inches long.

Bake the gluten-free Irish soda bread at 400 degrees F for about 50 minutes. The top should be a deep golden brown with an internal temperature of 190 degrees F.

Check the loaf after 30-40 minutes, you will probably need to loosely place a piece of foil over the top to prevent it from burning.

Allow the gluten-free Irish soda bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack. For best results, cool completely before slicing (this will take close to an hour)

Slice and serve with a shmear of butter and a cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. It's also great alongside your favorite soup!

Store leftover Irish soda bread in a plastic bag for up to 24 hours, pressing to release any extra air as you close it. You can also wrap the leftovers in foil.

Pop any extra slices in the freezer to store for longer.

If the bread is a little dry or crumbly, pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds or toast it.