Chocolate Pumpkin Bread Recipe

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Chocolate Pumpkin Bread is a beautiful mash-up of chocolate and pumpkin, swirled together for a flavor-packed quick bread. This fall treat is both moist and melt-in-your-mouth delicious and makes a great gift too!

Side view of four slices of stacked pumpkin chocolate bread.

Favorite Pumpkin Bread

While I’m not all that crazy about Halloween (GASP!), I’m a BIG fan of fall and everything – I mean every little thing – about pumpkin season! I love that the weather is finally cooling off here in Texas and that we can open our windows during parts of the day to let that cooler air in. It’s also my birthday (and blog bday) month so that’s pretty cool too!

Let’s talk about pumpkin recipes! We’ve got the Best Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, an amazing Pumpkin Streusel Cake, and for portion control, how about some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins?

AND…drum roll, please. You really MUST try these Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies too, because they have that pumpkin flavor while keeping a wonderful non-cakey texture. For a “cakey” pumpkin cookie (LOL!), my Iced Pumpkin Cookies are a huge hit too!

Why This Recipe Works:

MASH UP OF PUMPKIN AND CHOCOLATE – Pumpkin meets chocolate in this mash-up, and it’s tasty and beautiful, with hints of both pumpkin and chocolate,
MOIST QUICK BREAD – This bread is super moist and delish. You’re going to love every single bite.
FALL SPICES – The cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice add delicious flavor to the already pumpkin flavors.

A loaf pan of chocolate pumpkin bread with chocolate chips on top.

Ingredients Used:

Pumpkin – A cup of pumpkin puree is required.
Eggs – Just two large eggs.
Vanilla – I used vanilla extract but vanilla paste would be great too!
Sugar – A combo of brown sugar and granulated sugar is the perfect balance.
Oil – Canola oil adds to the moistness of this bread. You could substitute melted butter as well.
Flour – All-purpose flour keeps the bread light.
Salt – Kosher salt is my go-to.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda – The leavening ingredients.
Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice -Those fall spices that I use constantly!
Cocoa Powder – Some unsweetened cocoa powder will help create that swirl.
Chocolate Chips – Just a handful of chocolate chips are needed. Feel free to skip them, or use more!

How to make the best Chocolate Pumpkin Bread:

Step 1
Combine wet ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and canola oil. Whisk until very well combined.

Step 2
Add dry ingredients. To the bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Do NOT add cocoa powder YET. Mix.

Step 3
Add cocoa powder to part of the mixture. Remove about one cup of the pumpkin batter to a separate bowl. Add cocoa powder and mix well. The mixture will be thick.

Step 4
Layer. Spoon about 2/3 of the pumpkin batter into a prepared loaf pan (coated with baking spray). Then add the chocolate mixture on top. Finally, add the remaining pumpkin batter and use a knife to carefully swirl some of the layers together. Top with some chocolate chips.

The pumpkin plus chocolate layers of batter.

Step 5
Bake. Bake the bread in a 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 38 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center. It’s ok for it to be a little bit gooey in the center.

Step 6
Cool. Let the bread sit in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing. To remove, carefully use a knife to run it around the edges of the bread, making sure nothing is sticking to the sides. Then use your hands to catch the loaf as you tip it out onto a cooling rack. This will prevent the chocolate chips from getting crushed!

Step 7
EAT! My favorite step! Enjoy this chocolate pumpkin bread with a friend and a cup of coffee. I recommend my Cozy Caramel Lattes or my Pumpkin Foam Cold Brew!

Recipe FAQs:

What kind of canned pumpkin should I buy?

Use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin puree is just simply pumpkin, while the pumpkin pie filling has additional sweeteners and spices that make it ready to make a pumpkin pie.

Is pumpkin puree healthy?

Yes, pumpkin puree is packed with nutrients, including potassium, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium. It also has fiber and is low in calories.

Why does my bread sink in the middle?

Quick breads will occasionally sink in the middle after baking. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but I don’t let it bother me. We tend to like ours a little gooey in the center so I occasionally underbake it just a bit. You can try baking for longer, but it may still sink. (If you look at my photos, the one in the pan hasn’t sunk. But if you look at the others, it has sunk slightly.)

Other Delicious Quick Bread Recipes:

Side view of sliced pumpkin bread with chocolate swirl.

Let’s make pumpkin EVERYTHING! 🙂

Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)

xoxo ~Sue