This whole wheat, maple syrup sweetened pumpkin bread is ultra moist, not overly sweet, and studded with lots of dark chocolate chunks.
It’s made in just 1 bowl with simple pantry ingredients, and makes your whole house smell like fall.
Let’s get baking!
Fun fact: we keep canned pumpkin in the house year-round because we like to add some to Peanut’s dog food most days, so come fall, it doesn’t really feel special to have pumpkin in the house unless I make some homemade pumpkin puree.
But, I have strong feelings about how pumpkin is one big marketing lie (since there are no regulations requiring the canned pumpkin actually BE pumpkin, so in most cases you’re getting a butternut hybrid, which, ultimately, tastes better than pumpkin itself), and so, if you’re going the homemade route, I highly recommend just cutting a butternut (or some fun heirloom squash variety) in half, roasting until tender, and using that in place of pumpkin.
Long story short: use whatever version of pumpkin you love here, be it canned or homemade, from an actual pumpkin or one of it’s better-tasting cousins. All pumpkins are, in fact, just squash varieties, so perhaps we should just call this a squash loaf and be done with it…but it just doesn’t have the same feel as calling it pumpkin bread. So here we are.
Making pumpkin bread. With arguably not pumpkin. And maple syrup. And lots of dark chocolate chunks. And cinnamon and cardamom because they’re downright DREAMY with pumpkin bread.
This is one of those recipes that seriously couldn’t be easier. Turn on your oven. Chop up some dark chocolate. Stir all the ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a loaf pan. Bake. Eat. Done.
The final result is a tender, moist, deep orange loaf that has hints of cinnamon and cardamom, is sweet (but not overly so) from the maple syrup, and is absolutely loaded with melty chunks of chocolate in each bite. The contrast of very dark chocolate with the pumpkin and spices is just so, so perfect.
If you need me, I’ll be eating a slice with a giant mug of coffee for the remainder of fall.
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your Pumpkin Bread and tag me in it on Instagram so I can see!!
Dark Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread
Time: 75 minutes
Yields: 1 loaf
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup olive oil, avocado oil, or melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate (from 1 3oz bar)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, egg, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, spices, and all but a handful of the chopped chocolate to the batter (I like to reserve a handful of the largest chunks to go on top!), then stir again to combine.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, spread into an even layer, then top with the reserved handful of chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until loaf is deeply golden and cooked through.
- Let cool at least 15 minutes (though, ideally until it’s just barely warm) in the pan before slicing; leftovers keep well tightly wrapped at room temperature for 4-5 days.
NOTES: Whole wheat pastry, spelt, all-purpose, or whole wheat flour can all be used interchangeably in this recipe. I know not everyone keeps cardamom in their pantry- feel free to swap for more cinnamon, or omit entirely, if needed. I highly recommend grabbing a jar when you can, though, because it is my favorite fall spice (better than pumpkin pie spice, I think!).
MAKE IT VEGAN: this loaf becomes slightly more delicate, but still entirely delicious, when made with a flax egg (1 T ground flax + 3 T water). I’ve also used 1/4 cup of nut butter in place of the egg in similar recipes with success.
MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: this loaf would work well with oat flour in place of the whole wheat, or use your favorite 1:1 GF all-purpose blend!