Savory Pumpkin Bread with Goat’s cheese and Cracked black pepper

July 24, 2020

Seedy pumkin bread with cracked pepper and goats cheese, sliced and topped with cream cheese

I can’t even begin to describe this pumpkin bread without my mouth watering. It’s both sweet and savory. Doughy on the inside with a crunchy crust. Topped with pockets of creaminess and bursts of spice. It’s everything! This savory pumpkin bread is flavored with cracked black pepper, fresh goat’s cheese and a hint of ginger. This quick bread has the perfect balance of flavors to complement a variety of spreads, salads and soups.

Is it a sweet or a savory pumpkin bread?

Well this is where it gets interesting. It’s meant to be eaten alongside a savory dish because of the umami toppings. BUT! The bread itself is made with sugar and pumpkin to complement the spicy cracked pepper and tart goat’s cheese. It’s truly the perfect taste bud pleaser with a perfect balance of sweet and salty and hint of spice to tickle the tongue.

Pumpkin bread sliced with container of pumpkin and sunflower seeds

2 Bowls 2 Spoons

Okay so you don’t HAVE to only use two bowls and two spoons, but for the easy peasy no mess lovers, this recipe can be made with only 2 medium sized bowls, 1/2 teaspoon and 1/4 cup. Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in two separate bowls, fold them together and voila, time to bake.

Aside from this bread being delicious, it’s also healthy without even trying! It’s made with wholesome ingredients like oat flour, olive oil and yogurt.

Savory pumpkin bread wet and dry ingredients

The dry ingredients are: all-purpose flour, oat flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, black pepper and salt.

The wet ingredients are: plain greek yogurt, olive oil, eggs and pumpkin purée

The pureed pumpkin makes this loaf extremely moist. Before putting it in the oven, it’s topped with cracked pepper, crumbled goat’s cheese, and pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Aside from this bread being delicious, it’s also healthy without even tying! It’s made with wholesome ingredients like oat flour, olive oil and yogurt.

Texture Tips

The texture of this quick bread is doughy and tender without being too dense. It cuts perfectly with no crumbling and it stands up well to thick spreads and creamy soups.

To release air bubbles and assure that the batter is evenly distributed in the loaf pan, tap the pan several times against the counter.
It is common to end up with a very dense loaf. You might notice gluey streaks running through the bread. To avoid this mix the wet and dry ingredients only until combined! If you over mix, the gluten in the flour develops which results in a dense texture.
Baking the loaf on a lower heat for a longer amount of times allows the loaf to cook through without burning the crust or the seeds. What makes this crust amazing is that it is slightly crunchy but not burnt, which can easily happen since these types of breads take so long to bake. Also, the seeds toast but don’t become bitter.

How to best enjoy this savory pumpkin bread?

spread cream cheese or goats cheese on a thick slice
spread hummus and sprinkle with extra seeds
top with chicken salad or tuna salad, try Neiman Marcus’ famous chicken salad
serve with hot soup dolloped with crème fraiche
toast with a pad of melted butter
serve along side a beautiful vegetable salad
have it for breakfast with scrambled or over easy eggs

In case it isn’t clear, the possibilities are endless!

Pumpkin bread slices spread with cream cheese

Savory Pumpkin bread with Cracked black pepper and Goat’s cheese

Author: Victoria Cozen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Category: side, quick bread
Method: baking

Description

A sweet and savory pumpkin bread topped with creamy chunks of goat’s cheese, cracked black pepper and seeds. To be served alongside a fresh salad or hot soup; or topped with a creamy spread or deli salad.

Scale

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cups oat flour

1/2 + 2 tbsp sugar (3/4 cup for a sweeter loaf)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tsp salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 whole eggs, room temperature

1 cup pumpkin purée

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1/3 cup creamy goat cheese or crumbled goat cheese

3 tablespoons sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ loaf pan and line with parchment paper with an overhang on the long sides of the pan. This makes it easy to remove the loaf from pan, just hold the edges of the paper and lift.
In a medium bowl combine all-purpose flour, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs then add pumpkin purée, oil and plain greek yogurt until well combined and no lumps remain.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together until just incorporated! Do NOT over mix.
Pour batter into loaf pan and tap pan against counter several times to release air pockets.
Top loaf with crumbled goat’s cheese, cracked pepper, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean from center of loaf.
Let cool on a wire rack until completely cool, then remove loaf by lifting the edges of the parchment paper.