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Everyone needs a delicious easy pumpkin recipe to bake during the fall baking season, this is where my chocolate chunk pumpkin bread comes in. A simple moist pumpkin loaf bread with all the pumpkin spices, brown sugar, and pumpkin puree. Enjoy plain, mix in dark chocolate chips or make mini pumpkin bread loaves.
Key Ingredients & Test Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: I’ve made this recipe with both a lower protein flour at 10% and a higher one at 11.7% protein. Both work nicely for a tender moist loaf.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger & Cloves are the main spices for homemade pumpkin spice. If you prefer, you can swap them for 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Vegetable or Sunflower Oil is the main fat, replacing butter for a moist texture that stays fresh for days.
- Granulated Sugar & Dark Brown Sugar are combined for a balanced sweetness and a hint of molasses.
- Pumpkin Puree: A whole can or 450 grams of 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. If you’re using homemade puree, blot it lightly with paper towels if it seems watery.
- Large Eggs: Weighing 56 grams each in the shell and 50 grams without. Make sure they’re room temperature to mix more easily into the batter.
- Dark Chocolate Chunks can be either be chocolate chips or a dark chocolate baking bar that’s roughly chopped. Semi-sweet might be a bit too sweet, but a mixture with dark chocolate is still balanced.
Helpful Tips
- Weigh the flour with a kitchen scale, too much flour and the loaf texture will not be as moist.
- Pan size is important, I’m using a 9X5-inch loaf pan to make one large loaf. For smaller loaves, divide the batter into two 8×4-inch loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans.
- Use parchment for easy removal. Line your loaf pan with parchment paper so you can easily lift the bread out once it cools.
- Check doneness the right way. Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Ovens can run hot or cool, so start checking at the 55-minute mark.
- Cool completely before slicing. Waiting is difficult I know, but letting the loaf cool ensures clean slices and the crumb sets properly.
- Flavor improves overnight. Pumpkin bread often tastes even better the next day once the spices have had time to bloom.
Pumpkin Bread Mini Loaves
This pumpkin loaf batter is easily converted into 4 mini pumpkin loaves.
- Prepare the mini loaf pans with non-stick spray and overhanging parchment paper.
- Divide the batter equally among the four pans.
- Place all four loaf pans on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- My favorite mini loaf pans are by Williams Sonoma.
Toasted Italian Meringue Topping
Italian Meringue is a stable meringue recipe made with boiled sugar (soft ball stage) that is slowly drizzled onto beaten egg whites in a soft peak form while beaten into a stiff glossy marshmallow consistency.
Scoop the Italian Meringue onto your pumpkin bread and create little wisps by twirling the spoon. Then toast the meringue with a handheld kitchen torch.
Leftovers & Storage
Pumpkin bread is best stored at room temperature for up to 4-5 days, if it lasts that long. I like to wrap mine in foil and keep it on the counter, just like my chocolate chip banana bread.
To Freeze moist pumpkin bread, simply slice plain loaf and wrap slices in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container in freezer for up to 3 months.
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Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread
Moist chocolate chunk pumpkin bread Recipe made with brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and dark chocolate is the perfect fall pumpkin dessert.
Click for Ingredient Details
Equipment
- 9×5-inch metal loaf pan *or two 8-inch loaf pans
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread
- 250 grams (2 cups) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 168 grams (¾ cup) sunflower oil
- 150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 165 grams (¾ cup) dark brown sugar
- 425 grams (15 ounces) pumpkin puree, *fresh or canned
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 170 grams (1 cup) dark chocolate chunks, roughly chopped
Toasted Meringue
- 4 (120 grams) egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
Instructions
Pumpkin Bread
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃) and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with baking spray and overhanging parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl hand whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.250 grams all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- In a large bowl, hand whisk together vegetable oil with granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Followed by the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.168 grams sunflower oil, 150 grams granulated sugar, 165 grams dark brown sugar, 425 grams pumpkin puree, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Spoon half of the flour mixture into the wet mixture, mix until combined. Then repeat with the remaining flour mixture.
- Fold in chocolate chunks with a spatula.170 grams dark chocolate chunks
- Spoon batter the into the baking pan and level with a spatula.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only small moist crumbs. *Check the loaf at the 55 minute mark.
- Place pan on cooling rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Pull up on the overhanging parchment paper and lift the loaf from the pan, place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Toasted Italian Meringue
- While baked pumpkin bread is cooling prepare your meringue.
- Place egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment.
- In a medium sauce pan gently stir together sugar and water. Turn up to high heat.
- Cook until sugar syrup reads 240°F on an instant read or candy thermometer. Which is in between soft and firm ball stage.
- While sugar syrup is cooking, turn on mixer to medium speed. Whip egg whites and cream of tartar until reaches soft peaks. This is where when you lift the head of the mixer, the fluffy egg whites should form gentle peaks that slowly collapse back into the mixture.
- Once you have soft peaks and the sugar syrup is ready, keep the mixer running on medium speed and carefully pour a slow drizzle of the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites. Aim for the space between rotating whisk and side of bowl.
- Once the sugar syrup has been added, turn the mixer up to high and whip until desired stiff peaks have formed. The mixing bowl will be hot, so I tend to whisk until the bowl cools.
- Spoon Italian Meringue onto cooled Pumpkin Bread and rotate spatula or spoon for desired look. Using a small kitchen torch, toast the meringue to create golden brown edges.
Notes
Storage:
Pumpkin bread is best stored at room temperature for up to 4-5 days, if it lasts that long. I like to wrap mine in foil and keep it on the counter.
To Freeze moist pumpkin bread, simply slice plain loaf and wrap slices in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container in freezer for up to 3 months.
Tried this recipe?Mention @twocupsflour or tag #twocupsflour!
I tried this recipe! It was a great success! The cake didn’t last long ;). Thank you for sharing this.
Hi Angela! I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
This recipe was easy to follow and turned out so well. The pumpkin bread was moist for days! Everyone in my family enjoyed it even my 6 year old who doesn’t usually like pumpkin 🙂
Hi Tiffany! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the pumpkin bread 🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
O gosh this looks so yummy! I have to try to make it hehe
its super easy and delish!!! Let me know if you do:)