This is the best pumpkin chocolate bread - it has stripes of orange spiced pumpkin alternating with rich gooey chocolate layers. I've tested this recipe 7 times for the perfect loaf that is rich and soft and moist - perfect for snacking on and to enjoy with your morning coffee. I added mini chocolate chips into the chocolate layers for gooey chocolate morsels and bloomed the cocoa powder in hot water to release all of that rich chocolate flavor. The loaf rises tall in the oven and is the perfect sweet bread to make in the fall!
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🍞 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- The best chocolate pumpkin bread: I've tested this recipe 7 times to perfect it and create the ultimate soft, dense loaf with decadent chocolate layers
- Distinct layers of orange spiced cake and decadent chocolate cake packed with gooey mini chocolate chips
- Easy: Loaf cakes are so easy and straightforward to put together and bake.
- Chocolate and pumpkin: Spiced sweet pumpkin and rich, decadent chocolate are one of my favorite flavor combinations! Plus it looks so vibrant and festive.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
Pumpkin puree: I used store-bought pumpkin puree because it's consistent and has a strong, concentrated pumpkin flavor. If you use homemade pumpkin puree please make sure that it's the consistency of thick hummus or Greek yogurt.
Use your leftover pumpkin puree to make my favorite pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookies - or fry up my pumpkin spice pancakes for breakfast!
Pumpkin pie spice: This is a blend of spices most commonly used in pumpkin pie. You can purchase it premixed, or mix it yourself using spices you probably already have in your pantry. I make it myself using my pumpkin pie spice mix recipe.
Cocoa powder: I used Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe but natural cocoa powder will also work really well! I opted for Dutch processed for a stronger chocolate flavor and darker color here.
Mini chocolate chips: I felt like this loaf cake needed some gooey morsels of chocolate in the chocolate batter - so I went with mini chocolate chips. This is optional, but highly recommended for some extra chocolate flavor. I used semisweet chocolate chips but you can also use milk chocolate chips for more sweetness.
Greek yogurt: This adds more flavor and body to the loaf because it's tangy and has a lot of protein. You can substitute it with sour cream - that also works great!
👩🍳 How to make chocolate pumpkin bread
Prep: Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or spray it with baking spray. I used baking spray (different from cooking spray because it also includes flour) since I used a Nordic Ware pumpkin loaf pan.
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine eggs and brown sugar. Whisk with a wire whisk until it thicken slightly and has a foamy top.
Step 2: Add the melted butter, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, salt, and pumpkin pie spice into the batter and beat again.
Step 3: Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda right into the same bowl. Stir or fold gently just until it forms a batter.
Step 4: In a separate smaller bowl, carefully combine cocoa powder, boiling hot water, and espresso powder (optional). Whisk together carefully until it forms a smooth, thick, glossy mixture.
Step 5: Divide the batter in half, transferring one of the halves into another bowl. Add the cocoa powder mixture into one of the halves and fold it in gently to create a chocolate batter. Fold the chocolate chips gently into the chocolate batter.
Step 6: Alternate adding the batters into the loaf pan to create layers. I spooned or scooped them into the loaf pan about a third of a cup at a time.
Step 7: Bake the chocolate pumpkin loaf in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. Check the loaf at 55 minutes.
Step 8: Let the chocolate pumpkin loaf rest for 10 minutes in the pan before removing it and letting it cool the rest of the way. Slice into it once it's at room temperature and serve!
✔️ Expert pumpkin bread tips
- Bloom the cocoa powder: Adding hot boiling water helps bloom the cocoa powder and, giving the chocolate batter a richer, chocolate flavor. It's also much easier to then mix it into the batter.
- Try not to overmix the batter: Since this batter involves extra mixing because of the additional cocoa powder, it's important to fold it gently after the flour is added to prevent overmixing. Overmixing can cause a dense, dry cake.
- Don't overbake the pumpkin and chocolate bread: overbaking will yield a dry loaf. Test the bread with a toothpick at 50 minutes so that you don't miss when it's ready! If it browns too quickly without being ready you can tent the top with aluminum foil.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
This loaf cake is great to make ahead and enjoy over the course of the week. Store it in an airtight container or wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days. To store longer, I'd store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also slice and freeze the pieces with parchment paper in between each slice so that you can remove individual slices and enjoy it over the span of 2 months. Make sure that they're in a freezer proof bag or container that seals tightly.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes you can. I haven't tried it but if you substitute 1:1 gluten free flour mix for the all purpose flour it should work well! Let us know if you try it in the comments.
Yes you can, double the amount of cocoa powder and milk and add it into the whole batch of batter. You can also double the amount of mini chocolate chips and add it into the entire batter.
Typically I rub some cold butter on the inside of my bundt style pans and dust some flour (or cocoa powder) on the inside for a fool proof coating that releases every time. However, with very intricate patterns like the harvest loaf pans, I prefer to spray the inside with a non-stick baking spray that has flour in it. Check the can that you're using and it should say "for baking" and "with flour".
🍂 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin and Chocolate Bread
Equipment
- nine inch by five inch loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup butter melted
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 cups all purpose flour 240g
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup boiling water
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso optional
- ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or spray it with baking spray. I used baking spray (different from cooking spray because it also includes flour) since I used a nordicware pumpkin loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, combine eggs and brown sugar. Whisk with a wire whisk until it thicken slightly and has a foamy top, about 30 seconds by hand.3 large eggs, 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
- Add the melted butter, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, salt, and pumpkin pie spice into the batter and beat again.¾ cup butter, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda right into the same bowl. Stir or fold gently just until it forms a batter.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- In a separate smaller bowl, carefully combine cocoa powder, boiling hot water, and espresso powder (optional). Whisk together carefully until it forms a smooth, thick, glossy mixture.½ cup cocoa powder, ⅓ cup boiling water, ½ teaspoon instant espresso
- Divide the batter in half, transferring one of the halves into another bowl. Add the cocoa powder mixture into one of the halves and fold it in gently to create a chocolate batter. Fold the chocolate chips gently into the chocolate batter.½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- Alternate adding the batters into the loaf pan to create layers. I spooned or scooped them into the loaf pan about a third of a cup at a time.
- Bake the chocolate pumpkin loaf in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. Check the loaf at 55 minutes.
- Let the chocolate pumpkin loaf rest for 10 minutes in the pan before removing it and letting it cool the rest of the way. Slice into it once it's at room temperature and serve!
Notes
- Bloom the cocoa powder with boiling hot water for an intense chocolate flavor.
- Try not to overmix the batter once the flour is added to prevent a tough, dry cake
- Don't overbake the pumpkin and chocolate bread. Test the bread with a toothpick at 50 minutes so that you don't miss when it's ready! If it browns too quickly without being ready you can tent the top with aluminum foil.
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