Pumpkin Bread with Honey and Chocolate

Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pies, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin pie gelato….pumpkin everything is the trend now, and I am sorry (not really) that today’s pumpkin bread is not an exception.

Let’s be honest here. Fall doesn’t officially kick off till there are three things: fall leaves, cooler mornings (no humidity at all, thank goodness), and some kind of pumpkin-baked dessert in the oven. This pumpkin bread turns my entire house into a wonderful smelling pot of honey, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. I would not mind if my house smelled like this all year long.

Fall also kicks off the holiday baking season for me. Thanksgiving turkey, baked sweet potato casserole, and stuffing. Christmas cookies. I cannot wait.

What does Fall look like for you?

This pumpkin bread has a flavorful mix of apple, brown sugar, honey, pumpkin and chocolate chunks. It also produces a nice, sweet browned outer layer. The best thing about making any baked dessert with pumpkin as the star ingredient is the incredible moist texture you get. Every. Single. Time. It’s the kind that leaves crumbs and chocolate all over your fingers afterwards.

Honey and applesauce replaces some of the oil and sugar and makes the bread lighter in fat and calories for the health-conscious. Semi-sweet chocolate chunks are thrown in, too, because, well, really why not? 

Feel free to replace the chocolate chunks with other mix-ins like walnuts, pecans or white chocolate chips. 

My weekday mornings have never been better.

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Pumpkin Bread with Honey and Chocolate

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or sub out with white flour)
• 3/4 cup white flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 
2/3 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Optional (but highly recommended)

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Instructions

1. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and preheat your oven to 350F degrees.

2. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, eggs, honey, brown sugar, applesauce, orange juice, and vegetable oil) in a medium sized bowl. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Carefully fold in the chocolate chunks and be sure not to overmix the batter.

3. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan. Place the pan on a lower rack and bake for 55-60 minutes, covering the pan with aluminum foil halfway through baking. Don’t forget to do this or the top of your bread may burn or become too brown. You’ll want to start checking your bread at the 50-minute mark. 

4. Let bread cool for 15 minutes before serving.