Marbled Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf Cake
Pumpkin and chocolate are a dream team in this supremely moist loaf cake. You make the batter in a single bowl, starting with the pumpkin, then the chocolate. Scatter dark chocolate chips between layers of batter, then stir it into a pretty swirl. You can bake it in a muffin tin or square cake pan if you prefer. It's an excellent cake for an afternoon treat with a cup of tea or a comforting dessert. I like to cut thick slices and then cut those slices in half for serving.
Ingredients
- Non-stick cooking spray
- One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, unsweetened
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar, plus 3 tablespoons (divided)
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ heaping cup dark chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a standard 1-pound loaf pan (9x5-inch) with non-stick cooking spray.
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In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the pumpkin, ¾ cup brown sugar, eggs, olive oil, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
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Add the flour to the bowl and sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the top. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until mixed in.
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Pour a little more than half the batter into the greased pan and smooth it evenly along the top. Scatter half the chocolate chips over the batter.
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To the batter remaining in the bowl, add the remaining 3 tablespoons brown sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk just until mixed together. Pour the chocolate batter into the loaf pan, smoothing the top. Scatter the remaining chocolate chips over the batter.
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Use a soup spoon to marble the cake. To do this, scoop some of the pumpkin batter from the bottom of the pan and drag it forward an inch or so to the surface so you can see the pumpkin color. Repeat this four or five times in different sections of the loaf, so you get a marbled effect. If it doesn't come out great, not to worry. It will still be moist and tasty.
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Bake until a toothpick or thin paring knife comes out with moist crumbs, but no wet batter, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool for at least 40 minutes.
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Run a knife around the edge and invert the loaf. Set it upright and cut into slices.