"Lazy-Day" Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Some recipes are made for dinner parties. This one’s made for rainy afternoons, strong coffee, and pretending you’ve got nowhere important to be.

Gene Dog reckons it’s best eaten warm with butter and absolutely no urgency whatsoever.

"Lazy-Day" Spiced Pumpkin Bread

This bread was made for the days when the dog is still asleep on the porch and the kettle is just starting to whistle. It’s a “lazy” recipe because we don’t believe in making life harder than it already is. If you’ve got some leftover roasted pumpkin from last night’s roast, you’re halfway there. It’s savory, a little bit spicy, and exactly what you want to be eating when you’re leaning against a fence post thinking about everything you aren’t doing today.

The Inventory

• 2 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 1 cup (15 oz) mashed butternut pumpkin
• ½ cup (4 fl oz) buttermilk
• ½ cup (1 stick / 4 oz) butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (1.75 oz) pepitas (pumpkin seeds), chopped coarsely
• ¼ cup (¾ oz) finely grated parmesan
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves

The Drill

1. Prep the Forge: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Oil and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
2. The Dry Mix: Combine flour, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Make a well.
3. The Wet Work: Whisk mashed pumpkin, buttermilk, butter, and eggs. Pour into dry mix.
4. The Topping: Spoon mixture into pan. Sprinkle with pepitas, parmesan, and herbs.
5. The Wait: Bake for 55 minutes. Leave in pan for 10 minutes.
6. The Finish: Slice it thick and slather it in butter while it’s still warm.