Magic in Minutes: Herbed Pumpkin Beer Bread
With fall soon drawing to a close and the cold weather starting to kick into full gear, I am definitely beginning to look forward to the warming comforts of the winter season. I am certainly much more of a homebody in the winter and love nothing more than to be under a cozy blanket with a nice hot cup of tea. With the holiday season right around the corner, I really begin to crave the joy and satisfaction that comes from cooking and baking for myself and especially my loved ones. Sometimes though, the rush of this season does make it far more difficult to find space in my schedule or the energy to enjoy spending time in my kitchen.
This is when I start to rely on some of my more quick recipes to fulfill my cravings for comfort foods. Something I am particularly fond of making is easy breads, such as beer breads. What makes this family of breads so unique is that the yeast in the beer allows you to get a moist, slightly dense, and super flavorful product that you can have mixed, baked, and served to your table in under an hour with minimal ingredients and effort. This truly makes them perfect to whip up for any holiday gathering you might have coming up or as a freshly baked side for a weeknight meal at home.
Beer: A Toast To The Gods
Beyond being the star of the show in this recipe, beer is a truly ancient libation that has influenced every culture on Earth. While the creation of beer is often attributed to the Sumerian culture dating back to approximately 4,000 B.C.E., as time goes on, archeologists are finding more and more evidence that beer has been a global staple for far longer. The production and imbibement of beer is very much interwoven in not only the survival of ancient humankind, but also the worship of deities in both the past and in the present era.
Beer can be used as a generally positive offering to most deities, however there are some that are especially fond of the beverage and in fact, are tied to it. One such deity is Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of brewing and beer. One of the reasons that she is such an important figure in the history of beer and brewing is due to a poem called “The Hymn to Ninkasi”, which was written not only in worship of her, but also to provide a convenient way for her followers to remember the recipe for the beer they were brewing.
While beer is not as integral to our survival as it once was, it certainly has a special place in our modern life, especially during times of celebration. Beer holds magickal energy for bringing joy to gatherings, as well as aiding in relaxation and providing a boost to moods.
The Recipe: Herbed Pumpkin Beer Bread
As I said before, beer breads are really unbelievably simple to make, which is definitely a boon during this busy time of year. Beyond that, you can get pretty creative flavor-wise, which is exactly what I decided I wanted to do with this particular recipe. I am blessed enough to have a great friend who is an amazing brewer and he gave me his delicious pumpkin saison to use in this bread. I chose to double down on the warmth and prosperity boosting properties of the pumpkin by adding a little bit of puree in as well.
I also opted for fresh sage, thyme, and scallions to keep this bread a bit more savory, but to also promote positive communication, clarity, and good health. I finished it off with honey and butter melted on top to add a touch of sweetness and richness and further promote prosperity and abundance.
Overall, making this bread for your next event or meal holds intention to help you relax and celebrate, strengthen your bond with your friends and family and draw more prosperity and abundance into your lives. Alternatively, this also bakes beautifully into individual loaves that would make a lovely hostess gift for the holidays and are sure to bring joy to anyone who receives them. Either way, this bread is sure to be a hit with you and your loved ones and I hope you will try it out and enjoy it!
Herbed Pumpkin Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour (prosperity, renewal)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (sweetening dispositions, love)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder (mood/energy lifting)
- 1/2 tsp salt (cleansing of negative energies)
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme (healthy, positive communication, healing)
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh sage (promoting open communication, warding negative energies)
- 1 Tbsp scallion (clarity of mind, health)
- 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (hospitality, harvesting prosperity, positive energy)
- 12 oz pumpkin ale or other amber ale or lager (celebration, mood lifting, deity offerings)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (abundance)
- 1 Tbsp honey (prosperity, sweetening energies towards you)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and prepare a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place your flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and herbs into a large bowl and mix together until combined.
- Pour in the beer to the dry mixture and combine until you no longer see any dry flour. Add in the pumpkin puree and mix until combined.
- Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top slightly.
- Combine the melted butter and honey in a small bowl and pour evenly over the top of the bread.
- Place the loaf pan into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top and when pierced with a toothpick or skewer, it comes out cleanly.
- Let the bread cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
