Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

I have a penchant for quick breads, so it was a no brainer for me when Di from Di's Kitchen Notebook e-mailed about her autumn seasonal blog event and that she had chosen handmade loaves - we could bake anything that is made in a loaf pan - even meat loaf, if we wanted. When I made the pumpkin whoopie pies from the BAKED New Frontiers in Baking book a few weeks ago, I saw a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf that I thought would be perfect for Di's event.

I adapted the recipe from the original by using dark brown sugar in addition to white sugar. I liked the combination so much in the pumpkin whoopie pies and thought it would be good for the quick bread as well, and it was. The dark brown sugar gives the bread a rich, dark color. It is a delicious, moist bread and has just the right ratio of chocolate to pumpkin. This is a quick bread that I am happy to add to my autumn baking repertoire.

Visit Di's Kitchen Notebook to see what she baked for the event and in a few days she will be posting a round up of the loaves of the other bakers who participated in this event. Can't wait to see what everyone baked!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf
(adapted from BAKED New Frontiers in Baking)


Makes one loaf

1-1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup room-temperature water
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan and dust with flour; knock out excess flour. (I used Baker's Joy and it worked fine).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and oil until combined. Add the sugars and whisk again. Whisk the eggs into the mixture, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add 2/3 cup room-temperature water and whisk until combined. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Gently knock the bottom of the pan against the countertop to even out the batter. Use the spatula to smooth the tops.

Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. I tested my loaf at 45 minutes and it was done and already getting dark around the edges. The recipe in the book is for two loaves and it said to bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. You should adjust the time depending on your oven.

Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Invert the loaf onto a wire rack and cool completely before serving.

The loaf will keep for 3 days (if it lasts that long), wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.