Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread is a must make every fall — this pumpkin bundt cake is moist and tender with just the right amount of spice, and the chocolate chips take it from delicious to dynamite!
When my oldest went off to college a few years ago, I went care package crazy. I was not only sending the standard cookies and brownies, I was creating themed boxes for holidays and looking for any excuse to send off a package. It was fun for both of us for a while, but the day came when she timidly asked me to slow down the pace. She already had all the nail polish, Halloween face paint, Valentine confetti and bags of mini candy she needed. And the packaging was starting to pile up in the dorm room.
I had pretty much forgotten about care packages altogether when my youngest, just a few weeks into the college year, put in a request for some of my chocolate chip pumpkin bread. This is a wonderful recipe that’s been a family fall staple forever. It’s fool proof, and really really delicious. It’s one of those recipes that you’ll get asked for again and again.
Normally I used canned pumpkin for this, but since I found small pumpkins at the farmer’s market, I decided to do it all from scratch. I set out the directions below if you want to give it a try.
I’ve found this recipe to be just about foolproof as long as you follow the amounts carefully, and don’t over mix it before putting it in the oven. It’s always moist with wonderful pumpkin flavor, and you’ll be surprised at how delicious the pumpkin and chocolate combination is.
TIP: If you’re like me and think that more is more when it comes to chocolate, don’t be tempted to add more than 1 (10-12 ounce) bag of chocolate chips to the batter. Too much chocolate overwhelms the pumpkin and upsets the perfect balance of flavors in this cake.
This cake keeps well and is sturdy, so it’s perfect for shipping. I slice it up and wrap the individual pieces.
Want to make your own fresh pumpkin puree?
- Take a small eating pumpkin and cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and set face down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 until it’s tender when pierced.
- Scoop out the pulp and puree in a blender or processor till smooth.
Having gone through all this, I can tell you that it just wasn’t worth the extra trouble. There was no difference in taste. And I have read that canned pumpkin is actually higher in nutrients than fresh. Go figure.
other pumpkin recipes you’ll love ~
- Pumpkin Praline Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Biscuits
- Death by Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
- No Churn Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
- a standard bundt pan
Ingredients
wet ingredients
- 1 15- ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice (I was out of allspice so I substituted ginger)
dry ingredients
- 2 & 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 10-12 ounce bag of chocolate chips (I like dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Spray a non-stick bundt pan with cooking spray.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together with the spices and set aside.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Mix the dry into the wet until JUST combined. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.
- Spoon into the bundt pan and even out slightly, if necessary.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out without wet batter clinging to it, wet crumbs are fine, about 50-55 minutes. The range of baking time depends on your pan and your oven. Check early.
- Cool briefly and turn out onto a plate or rack. It’s delicious hot, warm, or cold!
tvfgi recommends: a great basic bundt pan
Bundt pans come in all sorts of wonderful shapes and sizes, which is great, except that you never know how your pan is going to work with a specific recipe. I like to use this one from Wilton which is a basic, all purpose pan that’s sturdy, nonstick, and a standard size. The simple fluted shape insures an easy release, and isn’t that what it’s all about?
Don’t forget to pin this chocolate chip pumpkin bread!
O.K., it is confirmed. I am normal. WE are normal. I have a bag of “fall stuff” in the spare bedroom waiting for inclusion in my “fall themed” care package. It was extremely cathartic to wander through stores picking out various tidbits that I probably would have said “you don’t need that…” when M. was at home. I have little things to decorate the door. I have these paper pumpkin lanterns and bats that can stick to their huge window. I even found Halloween “Pop rocks”. So now I see what I am in store for several years down the road…requests for the favorites that “make the cut”. Thanks Sue!!
Can I just say that I LOVE you for admitting that canned pumpkin is better? I do not like the taste of fresh pumpkin. I can always tell when it has been used in a recipe. I have heard numerous reasons for that, one of which being that commercial canned pumpkin is mostly butternut squash. Whatever the reason, I still buy canned pumpkin and love it best of all!
Looks really yummy. Our pumpkin vine went nuts in the garden this yr. and I still have three that didn’t get used during Thanksgiving. Have one cooking in the oven as I type this to use for pumpkin/choc. chip bread. There is one distinct advantage to roasting your own pumpkin—you can save and toast those great seeds—YUM YUM!!!
What a sweet mom – I’m sure your daughter will appreciate all your effort! I’ve been sending care packages too and my son has been loving them, but will have to include some homemade goodies next time like this pumpkin bread.
Sue, we have a few pumpkins growing in the garden for the first time this year and I am determined to make something other than soup out of them! I now have a recipe!
How lovely that you send care packages – I love it:)
Oh I always wanted a care package – it was something I only knew from American films. I can’t believe you did this from scratch! I’ve never tasted pumpkin, it’s so hard to find tinned pumpkin here and if you do it’s a fortune as it will be in a ritzy foodie shop who’ve imported it from the US.
Feel free to send me a care package! LOL!!! Looks fantastic, I love pumpkin anything!!!
This looks great. My daughter has had her fill of zucchini bread and now I’ll try this pumpkin bread.
First, I can’t imagine that your daughter asked you to slow down on the care packages…but then since you actually used real pumpkin instead of a can, maybe you did over do it. Seriously, I have never even considered using real pumpkin in my pumpkin bread or muffins. I just made pumpkin muffins this afternoon and i was admiring the graphics on the can instead of marveling at the beauty of a real pumpkin. I think my daughter only hopes I send her that many care packages…really I think it’s very sweet of you!
Great post!! Lovely story about the care packages – I can see myself doing the same thing in a year or two! Wonderful looking bundt cake 🙂
Mary