Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread redux

I'm not one of those bloggers who thinks it's a sin to repeat a recipe.  In fact I think it's a great idea, it echoes the way we all cook in real life; when we like something, we make it over and over again, usually discovering something new or doing things a little differently each time.  This recipe has special significance for me since it marks the start of my favorite season.  Fall in Los Angeles can be a disappointment...the temperature can hover in the 90s, and the leaves stay stubbornly green and attached to the trees well into November.  I've made it a tradition to make this pumpkin bread every year at the start of September to help set the mood despite what the thermometer says.

I'm including this in my care packages to my daughters, so I decided to make it today in two loaf pans; the smaller sized pieces will be good grab and go snacks.  I've always made it in my beautiful bundt pan, but it's let me down a couple of times this year, no matter how carefully I prep it, so I'm thinking I need to retire it. You could make this recipe as muffins, in a tube pan, or even in a 9x13 cake pan.  But if you're making this for the first time, I recommend the bundt or tube pan, it cooks evenly and makes a nice presentation.  (see the original post)

This cake is one of the best things I make.  It's a perfected recipe, so you can make it with confidence. I've made it with homemade pumpkin puree and decided there was no discernible difference between the fresh and the canned, so I always go with canned.  It's not overly spiced, it's moist and fluffy, not soggy, and the dark chocolate and the pumpkin are surprisingly delicious together.

The simple spice mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice is one of the things I love most about this pumpkin bread.  Today I'm playing around with freshly grinding them. 

For larger spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, I use a microplane grater.  For the little allspice berries I used a coffee grinder that I keep just for spices.  Both are inexpensive tools that are great to have around, especially as we get into the baking season.

You can see the recipe and step by step photos on the original post:  Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread.

Note:  If you decide to use 2 loaf pans, the baking time would be about 30 minutes.

 Enjoy!