This recipe is easy, reliable and impossibly delicious. Best of all, there’s very little fat—the moisture comes from unsweetened applesauce, so it’s not a sinful as it seems. This is a recipe you’ll want to hang onto forever!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground/grated nutmeg
- 1½ cups semisweet (dark) chocolate chips, a few pushed aside to sprinkle over top
Preparation
• If you’ll be making a large loaf or 2–3 small ones, heat the oven to 325°F. If you’ll be making muffins, heat to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, pumpkin, vegetable oil and vanilla.
• Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk just until combined. Do not over mix.
• Gently fold in the chocolate chips, then pour the batter into a greased 9¼- by 5¼- by 2¾-inch Wilton loaf pan. Sprinkle the extra chocolate chips over the top and bake at 325°F for roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with no orange batter stuck to it. It will have some chocolate on it no matter what. (If you make smaller loaves, wait until they look baked and then test the centers with a skewer or toothpick just the way you would with a large loaf!)
To make muffins instead:
• Layer paper cups into a muffin tin, scoop batter into each cup, top with a few chocolate chips and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean of batter (it will be chocolatey).
• Allow the loaf to rest in its pan for at least 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack or platter to cool. Slice and enjoy! Be sure to keep it wrapped up once you cut into it. Fantastic warm or room temperature, especially with a steaming cup of cinnamon tea.
About this recipe
Variations:
If you don’t like chocolate with pumpkin, you can skip the chocolate completely and simply make pumpkin bread. Even better, you could stir in whatever you like. For example, 1 cup cinnamon chips and ½ cup pecans. It’s a fun, easy recipe—enjoy playing with it!
