Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf (Baking Through Baked)
Yes your reading this right, I’m posting a pumpkin recipe in July, it’s always good be ahead right? I’m not producing a pumpkin treat just because I felt like it, I have my reasons.
My reason will be revealed to you on Saturday, I have a mega s’more themed recipe to share will you all as part of s’more month here on the blog. So far I’ve made Triple Chocolate S’more Fudge and S’more Ice Cream.
I’m baking my way through Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and this is the second recipe to come from it. I love baking with pumpkin but haven’t baked with it that often. Pumpkin is traditionally a Autumnal ingredient but who say’s you can’t use it in Summer, especially when the weather takes a cozier turn like it did this past weekend. Perfect spiced loaf cake for a damp and dreary day, what could be more lovely.
This recipe is fantastic for a number of reasons, it’s scrumptious and addictive, easy peasy to make and it makes not one but two loaves!
Intrigued? I’ll take you further into this loaf. As you browse the ingredient list don’t be put off by the amount of sugar, it does yield two loaf cakes after all and the cake doesn’t actually taste that sweet at all, despite being laden with chocolate chips. I chose to use dark chocolate chips and I love the low-key sugariness of it and it’s deep, bitter, dark structure. I believe this is also a key factor in the sweetness factors of the loaves.
Rapeseed oil is my oil of choice for baking but you can use vegetable oil any will do just dandy. The amount of moistness in this quick bread is everything you want from a cake, no dry crumb in sight. I love to bake with spices and wasn’t disappointed with the amount used in this recipe. I usually feel let down with spice quantities in recipes, I don’t want a hint of spice in my cakes, I want to be able to identify the spices and smell them oozing of the crumb. Cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, allspice and ginger is used here, all of my favourite spices baring one. Don’t buy pre-ground nutmeg, great your own the flavour will be more pronounced and present.
The ground ginger is listed as an optional ingredient and I urge you to use to it, all the spices blend harmoniously. I’d be inclined to add a little dash of cloves next time and bake this when it’s truly Autumn or even Winter. It’ll keep you going nicely with a strong mug of tea or coffee when it’s cold and barren out there.
All the tools you need to make this is a couple of bowls, a spatula and a whisk. No mixer required, woohoo! I do love my mixer but I love to bake in the more rustic form of mason bowl and whisk in hand. Nothing is more soothing the turn and stir of preparing a cake this way.
“Our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf recipe came from our bakery via Matt’s mother, Gail. She was neither a cook nor a baker nor a kitchen hobbyist (she preferred ordering in), but she enjoyed making this quickbread as it is extremely easy and the results are impressive. This loaf is incomparably moist, and the pumpkin and chocolate chips pair well together for the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee or tea” – That is how baked describes this recipe and I couldn’t agree more. It’s one of the best pumpkin recipes I’ve made. With a crusty top and a perfect crumb, it really is perfect with a cup of something hot.
De-stress or if you not stressed enjoy baking a delicious cake fit for all your family and friends, there is enough to go round. A simple cake but far from simple in terms of texture and flavour, it’s time to dig your cans of pumpkin out from your pantry. It’s always good to be prepared for those rainy days.
Yields – Two, 2lb loaf cakes.
Ingredients
- 390 grams (3 1/4 cups) Plain flour
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoons Ground ginger (optional)
- 2 teaspoons Bicarbonate of soda
- Large pinch of Maldon sea salt
- One can (15 ounce) Libby’s Pumpkin Puree
- 250 ml (1 cup) Rapeseed oil
- 600 grams (3 cups) Caster sugar
- 4 Large eggs
- 1 teaspoon Nielsen Massy Pure Vanilla extract
- 225 grams (1 1/2 cups) Dark chocolate chips
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 175C,350F and spray two, 2lb (9 x 5 inch) loaf tins with non stick cake spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Set aside
- In a medium bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree with the rapeseed oil then add the caste sugar gradually, whisking until everything has been combined.
- Whisk in your eggs one at a time then the vanilla extract. Add 160 ml (3/4 cup) water and whisk everything together
- Using a spatula fold in the chocolate chips then the dry ingredients. Do not over mix, stop when the dry ingredients just disappear. Divide between the two loaf tins and bang on the counter top of release any air bubbles and to smooth the top.
- Bake for 1 hr 15 minutes – 1 hr 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted to the centre comes out clean. Leave on a wire rack for 15 minutes before transferring to the wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
* Recipe from Baked:New Frontiers in Baking – Matt Lewis & Renalto Poliafito
* This will last for up to 3 days stored in a cake tin with a tight-fitting lid.
* Keep in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
This is the second recipe in baking my way through Baked! Check out my other recipe;
Tagged: (Baking Through Baked), Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renalto Poliafito, Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake, Chocolate Chips, dark chocolate, Loaf, Loaf Cake, Pumpkin, Pumpkin and Chocolate, Pumpkin and Chocolate Cake, Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Load, Pumpkin Loaf Cake, Pumpkin Puree, pumpkin recipe, pumpkin recipes, Rapeseed oil
