Pumpkin Cornbread

I cut a slice of this deliciously moist cornbread to photograph it and then, of course, I had to eat it. Then I just kept cutting slices and eating them to double-check and triple-check for quality. Then I had to "neaten" up the edges for aesthetics and eat the off-cuts because I hate waste. The things I do...




Pumpkin Cornbread
slightly adapted from Belinda Jeffery's Mix & Bake

500g pumpkin (to make 350g puree)
150g fine stone-ground yellow polenta (cornmeal)
1 1/2 tablespoons spelt flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt (I used Pink Himalaya)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
45g unsalted butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the pumpkin into large wedges. Put them skin side down on a baking tray and roast for about 40 - 45 minutes until soft. Leave to cool, and when cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the skin and puree the flesh in a blender. You should have about 350g puree (give or take). Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the polenta, flour. baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg to combine. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, pumpkin puree and egg together. Set aside

Put the butter in a 20cm square cake pan and pop it into the oven to melt. Once melted, swirl the butter around the base and sides of the pan then add tip the excess butter into the buttermilk mixture and whisk it together.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the polenta mixture and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the pumpkin seeds over the top. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden and the centre springs back when gently pressed. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack. Best served warm.