Chocolate Marbled Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin bread is already one of my favorite fall treats, but add a rich chocolate swirl and it gets even better! This Chocolate Marbled Pumpkin Bread is soft, moist, full of pumpkin spice, and swirled with chocolate batter in every slice.
The best part? That gorgeous marble pattern looks impressive, but it is incredibly easy to make. You make one pumpkin bread batter, divide it in half, turn part of it chocolate, and swirl the two together.
It’s an easy fall baking recipe that is perfect with a cup of coffee, for an afternoon snack, or even for a simple Thanksgiving breakfast.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Bread
There is a lot to love about this one!
- Pumpkin + chocolate: The chocolate adds just enough richness without overpowering the pumpkin and warm spices.
- Easy to make: Both colors of batter start with the same simple pumpkin bread base.
- That swirl: Every loaf comes out a little different, and slicing into it is half the fun.
- Freezer friendly: Make an extra loaf now and tuck it away for later.
- Gluten-free and dairy-free options: A couple of simple swaps are all you need.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of basic baking ingredients to make this marbled pumpkin bread.
Pumpkin puree: Make sure you are using 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly. You can also use a good 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.
Pumpkin pie spice: This gives the bread all of those warm fall flavors. You can use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice.
Cocoa powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder turns half of our pumpkin batter into chocolate batter.
You’ll also need sugar, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
When it comes to kitchen tools you will need a loaf pan or similar vessel to bake your bread. Also you will need a mixing bowl and spatula or wooden spoon.
How to Make Marbled Pumpkin Bread
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
Note: You can bake this in a muffin tin or even a cake pan. The baking times will be slightly different.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin puree, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and gently fold everything together until combined. Don’t overmix the batter.
Make the Chocolate Swirl
Divide the batter evenly between two bowls.
Add the cocoa powder to one bowl to make the chocolate pumpkin batter. Add the reserved 1/4 cup flour to the plain pumpkin batter and stir each just until combined.
Now comes the fun part!
Scoop alternating spoonfuls of pumpkin and chocolate batter into the prepared loaf pan. Think of it like making a checkerboard with the two batters.
Repeat with another layer until you’ve used all of the batter.
Run a wooden skewer or butter knife through the batter in a few figure-eight motions to create the marble effect.
Don’t go crazy with the swirling. A few passes are plenty. Too much swirling will blend the batters together instead of giving you those pretty ribbons of chocolate and pumpkin.
Bake
Bake the pumpkin bread at 350°F for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Let the bread cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before removing it.
For the cleanest slices, let it finish cooling before cutting into it. Although I completely understand if warm pumpkin bread wins that argument.
Tips
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Bread
Don’t overmix. Stir the batter just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing quick bread can make it dense or tough.
Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They aren’t the same thing. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices and will change the recipe.
Don’t overswirl. You want distinct chocolate and pumpkin ribbons instead of one light-brown loaf.
Check it around 50 minutes. Ovens and loaf pans vary, so start checking before the full 60 minutes.
Add chocolate chips. If there is such a thing as too much chocolate, I haven’t found it yet. A handful of chocolate chips folded into the chocolate batter is delicious.
Chopped pecans or walnuts are also great if you want a little crunch.
Can I Make Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins Instead?
Absolutely!
Divide the pumpkin and chocolate batters between a greased or lined muffin pan. Add a little of each batter to each muffin cup and give them a quick swirl with a toothpick.
Bake at 350°F for about 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
This recipe makes approximately 12 muffins.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
This recipe is very easy to make gluten-free.
Replace the all-purpose flour with your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour. I’ve had great results using King Arthur gluten-free flour blends in recipes like this.
As always, double-check the labels on your other ingredients if you’re baking for someone who needs to avoid gluten.
Dairy-Free Option
You can also make this marbled pumpkin bread dairy-free with two simple substitutions.
Use your favorite non-dairy milk in place of regular milk and replace the butter with a plant-based butter.
Oat milk and coconut milk both work well for baking.
How to Store Pumpkin Bread
Once completely cool, store the pumpkin bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bread?
Yes! Pumpkin bread freezes beautifully.
Let the loaf cool completely, then wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
You can freeze the entire loaf or slice it first so you can grab individual pieces whenever the pumpkin bread craving hits.
Serving Ideas
Honestly, this chocolate marbled pumpkin bread doesn’t need anything.
But I’m also not going to turn down a warm slice with a little butter or cream cheese spread on top.
Add a cup of coffee or a homemade pumpkin spice latte and you’ve pretty much nailed fall.
Chocolate Marbled Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour divided (¾ cup + ¼ cup)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×5” loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add sugar, pumpkin puree, melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- In a small bowl, add flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to incorporate.
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients. Fold to combine.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two bowls used. Add cocoa powder to one, and add the remaining ¼ cup of flour to the other. Stir to incorporate.
- Use a cookie scoop to create two horizontal rows of batter, alternating between pumpkin and chocolate scoops. Add a scoop of pumpkin, chocolate, then pumpkin on one side (horizontally). Add a scoop of chocolate, pumpkin, then chocolate for the second row. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to allow the batter to spread evenly in the bottom of the pan. Repeat this process with alternate batters on top – being sure to use all remaining batter.
- Use a skewer to swirl the batter into figure eights, creating a marbling effect in the loaf.
- Place loaf pan in preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes before enjoying.
