Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

Facts:

Just a Friend by Biz Markie is totally inappropriate but will always make a baby stop crying.

I had a short story published in college. It was loosely based on the weird people I worked with at the time. Apologies to any of them who might find it and read it. Actually, apologies to anyone who might read it.

I’m too short to wear capri pants/knee high boots/belts that aren’t looped through my pants. Let’s just accept it.

All bread should have chocolate in it.

This is pumpkin bread. What’s the difference between pumpkin bread and pumpkin cake, you might ask? Pumpkin bread is acceptable to eat for breakfast. Even when it’s loaded up with chocolate chips.

I made my own pumpkin puree for this bread. No big deal.

This recipe makes two loaves of bread, which is great if you’re baking it for a group or if you want to eat half a loaf in one day (how did that even happen?!), decide maybe you should lay off the pumpkin bread, and freeze the other loaf for another time.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup (one 15oz can) pumpkin puree
1 cup canola oil
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (12oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Dust them with flour, knocking out any excess.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, soda, and salt.

In another large bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree and canola oil. Add the sugar and whisk again. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until combined, then add the vanilla. Add 2/3 cup room temperature water and whisk one more time. Stir in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until moistened. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking time.

Move the pans to a wire cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the loaves onto the rack and cool completely before cutting.

The loaves will keep for 3 days, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature.