Pumpkin Bread

2 more days until September, which means it’s practically Fall. Of course, Starbucks has already started selling their Pumpkin Spice Lattes so if Starbucks ran the world, the best season/time of year is already upon us. Thank you, Starbs. Here at LDBaking, we love Fall and all things Fall related so please prepare yourselves as well bombard you with Fall inspired recipes from now until, well, forever. And so today, I bring you pumpkin bread! I want to start by saying that I’m not the biggest pumpkin fan (I feel like this is a pattern with most of what I bake…). Sometimes pumpkin desserts are just too pumpkin-y and overwhelming. One time, when I was 5, I decided to get pumpkin ice cream at the mall. Big mistake. Pretty sure I might have absolutely cried because I hated it and wasted my ice cream treat on the pumpkin flavor. That was it, I was done with all things pumpkin. Well my dislike for all things pumpkin didn’t exactly stick. Over the years I’ve come to like pumpkin muffins or pumpkin cupcakes with a cream cheese or butter cream frosting or even this Pumpkin Spice Cake. And I especially don’t mind pumpkin dessert if there is chocolate involved which is why chocolate chips are included in this bread. You’re welcome 🙂 Nowadays, just the smell of pumpkin baking in the oven makes me happy because it reminds me of my favorite time of year- Fall 🙂 And the smell of this bread baking in the oven is better than any pumpkin candle out there, trust me! So do yourself a favor and make this pumpkin bread at least once this fall season. You won’t be disappointed!

-Kelly

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease one bread loaf pan.
2. In mixer, beat together sugar, applesauce, eggs and oil. Next, add flour, baking soda, spices and salt and mix until incorporated.
3. Lastly, beat in pumpkin until combined.
4. Remove from mixer and stir in chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 50-55 minutes. Enjoy!