I’ve been (and will be traveling) lately, so I apologize if my posts become a little less frequent (and a little less wordy, too). I just got back from my very first trip to Mesa Verde National Park last week, and then tomorrow, Mommy and I are heading to Ohio. So yes, I will be a very busy little bee for the next couple weeks – eating my way around Ohio while visiting my friends and family. Possibly not having so much time to cook, bake, or post. But we’ll see how that all pans out.

I love going back east in the fall. Living in the desert requires giving up certain things in life… One of those things, ladies and gentlemen, is seasons. While I can’t say I really miss having to walk through the blistering winds and snow of winter, or the torrential downpours of spring and summer, Autumn is one thing I definitely miss.

It was always my favorite season – colorful leaves, brisk air, (occasional) sunny days, apple orchards and pumpkin patches…. We don’t get any of that here. Sad, right? So all the years I spent wanting nothing more than to get out of Ohio, this is the time of year that makes me really wish I hadn’t left. Of course this winter, I will be laughing at all my friends shoveling the snow off of their cars while I get to wear short sleeves and cook out on the grill. 🙂

Of all the things that remind me of fall, few things say ‘fall’ quite like pumpkin.  I can hardly wait for October to roll around every year for the simple fact that I adore pumpkin. Adore. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin scones… who decided that pumpkin is only reserved for the fall? Something as delicious as pumpkin deserves to be enjoyed year-round. What is it in us that gives food seasons? Summer is for berries, winter I think of cinnamon, but autumn… that’s 110% pumpkin (maybe a little bit of apple, too, I guess).

This recipe is perfect. I’m not exaggerating. It’s the last pumpkin bread recipe you will ever need. Really. It yields a bread with a moist, tender crumb, a delightful pumpkin flavor, a hint of spice, and of course a little chocolate. I mean, a little chocolate never hurt anyone, right?  Try not to gnaw your arm off while the baking bread fills your house with the sweet aroma of fall and your tummy starts to rumble.

Pumpkin Bread  – Makes 2 – 9 x 5 inch loaves

[ Printable Recipe ]

• 3 ¼ cups AP flour
• 2 t cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp allspice
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 15 oz can (1 ¾ cup) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup veg oil
• 3 cups sugar (You can easily cut back by at least a half cup)
• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree and oil until combined. Add sugar and whisk again. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla and water. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients being careful not to over-mix.
4. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 ½ hours.
5. Cool the bread in its pan 15 minutes, then invert loaves onto wire rack and cool completely.

*Loaves will keep 3 days at room temperature, or much longer frozen for your future pumpkin needs

*You can also bake them into muffins – just reduce the baking time. It’s been so long since I’ve done the muffins, I would recommend checking them after about 20 minutes and then seeing where it goes from there.

[ Adapted from Baked ]