Description
This moist and flavorful Chocolate Pumpkin Bread combines rich cocoa with the natural sweetness and moisture of pumpkin puree. Perfect for fall or any time you crave a chocolatey treat with a seasonal twist, this bread is easy to make and yields a tender, subtly spiced loaf that melts in your mouth. Optional mini chocolate chips add bursts of melty chocolate throughout, making it a delightful snack or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (27g)
- 2 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder or additional unsweetened cocoa powder (10g)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (240g)
- 1/4 cup water (80g)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil or almond butter or additional pumpkin for low fat option (50g)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (10g)
Optional Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan thoroughly or line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and optional ground cinnamon. Stir well to evenly distribute all dry ingredients.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the pumpkin puree, water, oil (or almond butter/additional pumpkin), and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined to form a smooth batter without overmixing, which can toughen the bread.
- Transfer to Pan and Add Chips: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. If desired, sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly over the top to add melty chocolate pockets in the bread.
- Bake the Bread: Place the loaf in the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly before the center is fully baked, tent the loaf loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until done.
- Cool and Serve: Carefully remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. For best flavor and texture, let the bread rest overnight before slicing and serving.
Notes
- You can substitute almond butter or additional pumpkin puree for oil to reduce fat content.
- Using Dutch-process cocoa powder enhances the chocolate flavor but you can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder if preferred.
- Allowing the bread to cool and rest overnight improves moisture and flavor development.
- If you want a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
- Mini chocolate chips are optional but add delicious bursts of melted chocolate in the bread.
