Description
A beautifully marbled loaf combining tender, spiced pumpkin bread with rich chocolate swirls—moist, elegant, and perfect for fall snacking or gentle gifting.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Loaf:
100 g vegetable oil (½ cup)
200 g light brown sugar (1 cup)
300 g pure pumpkin puree (1 ⅓ cups)
2 eggs, room temperature
60 g sour cream, room temperature (¼ cup)
2 tsp vanilla extract
220 g all-purpose flour (1 ¾ cups + 1 tbsp)
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Chocolate Loaf:
24 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder (¼ cup)
45 g freshly brewed espresso (1½ oz)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Butter and line a 1 lb loaf pan with parchment paper, creating a “hammock” to help lift the loaf out later.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Carefully fold just until no dry streaks remain—don’t overmix.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with freshly brewed espresso until smooth and lump-free.
- Measure about 340 g (around 1 ½ cups) of the pumpkin batter and transfer it into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold until the chocolate and pumpkin batters are well blended.
- Alternately spoon thin layers of pumpkin and chocolate batter into the prepared loaf pan until both batters are used. Optionally, sprinkle granulated sugar on top for a subtle crust.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean (a few tender crumbs are fine).
- Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan before using the parchment “hammock” to lift it out. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Swap vegetable oil for melted butter for a richer flavor.
- Use pumpkin pie spice instead of the espresso for a spice-forward chocolate swirl.
- Add a handful of chocolate chips or chopped nuts to either batter.
- Swirl in cream cheese ribbons with the chocolate mixture for a cheesecake twist.
- Top with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of vanilla glaze.
- Make it gluten-free using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Stir ½ tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice into the chocolate batter for extra warmth.
- Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt for added tang.
- Add orange zest to the pumpkin batter for citrus brightness.
- Use decaf espresso if you prefer a caffeine-free loaf.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
