11.11.2009

Perfect Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips: Webisode #1

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate ChipsIt seems that Apple Mania has given way to Pumpkin Mania this month. While I've been chowing down on apples, I've also been opening can after can of pure organic pumpkin puree. There is no limit to the amount of dishes I've been making with the stuff, everything from savory pumpkin penne, to pumpkin bars, to sweet pumpkin pudding cake.

I'll admit, after making all of these dishes I was pretty sure I had exhausted my pumpkin repertoire until my friend Jennifer, an accomplished baker herself, handed me her Aunt Margie's recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips. Make it, she told me, you will love it. Apparently this bread is a legendary dessert in her family, which, as I soon learned, is for a good reason.

This bread has been on my weekly Naptime Chef baking rotation all fall. I most often make it while my daughter naps, and it also proved to be a great mother/daughter baking project. It is a deliciously simple recipe that yields a perfectly moist pumpkin cake, rich with cinnamon flavor and dotted with sweet chocolate chips.

When I was talking about this the other week with my friend April at Babble she suggested I make this into a video for the Babble Nibblers blog. Why not? I thought. I've been writing this website for almost a year and you all must be sick of just reading, reading, reading. Maybe it would be fun to start watching, watching, watching! So, without further ado, welcome to my kitchen and my first how-to video for Aunt Margie's Perfect Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips.





As always, I encourage comments, but please be kind to the newbie Naptime Chef's first web appearance!

Aunt Margie's Perfect Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips (and a Gluten-free note)
4 eggs, room temperature
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. sugar
3 c. all-purpose flour (for Gluten-Free use Pamela's GF Baking Mix)
1 14 oz. can pure pumpkin puree
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. Kosher Salt
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
Yields:
36 Cupcakes or
Two 9x5 Loaves or One Bundt Cake or Lots o' Mini-Muffins (use mini-chips for these!)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and prepare the pan depending on bundt cake, muffins or loaves.
2. In a mixing bowl combine eggs, oil and sugar. Then, add the pumpkin and mix well. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add this to wet ingredients until totally combined.
3. Mix in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon and pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake according to pan size as follows:
Cupcakes: Bake for 25 minutes Two 9x5 Loaf Pans: Bake for 45-50 minutes Mini-Muffins: Bake for 12-15 minutes Bundt Cake: Bake for 60 - 65 minutes
5. Once baking is complete allow cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then, remove it on to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: If you don't like chocolate chips you can certainly omit them, or substitute nuts. I promise, everyone will love this is if you add it to a buffet or serve it at a dinner party. I love that the recipe is so versatile, it's perfect for anything from muffins to cakes. Making this batter while my daughter naps is a snap, plus it is a fun baking projects for kids in the kitchen.
Naptime Stopwatch: As you can see, making the batter takes 10 minutes at the most. After that, all the remains is baking time.
Naptime Reviews: One of our friends, who does not like pumpkin, declared this delicious. She appreciated that it is not over-spiced. The pumpkin flavor is pitch perfect and contrasts well with the chocolate chips.

18 comments:

  1. Yummy! I can't wait to try this over the coming weekend.

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  2. Congrats on the leap to video - looks great!!

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  3. Great video! You're ready for tv. The recipe sounds great as well. Now that my apples are gone we've switched to pumpkin mania around here as well, can't wait to try this!!

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  4. I loved watching your video! Always great to meet the people behind the blog. And the cake looks lovely! I don't own a bundt pan but definitely think I should invest... Looks yum!

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  5. Thanks everyone for your great feedback! I have more planned for videos, so stay tuned.

    @rosy - A bundt pan is so useful in the kitchen and mine was an expensive one from the grocery store. I recommend the investment!

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  6. Your video looks great... and the recipe sounds perfect! I have contemplated adding some videos to my site, but I haven't had the guts yet! :)

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  7. Kelsey, your webisode is fabulous and so fun! You look so cute :).

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  8. Hard to imagine the week has flown by! I did a little post just a second ago about our jaunt to Stone Barns.
    Off to watch your video!
    pve

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  9. Thanks for all the encouraging notes! @Jen - you should do a video, they are lots of fun!

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  10. Great video! Really enjoyed it. Our kitchen are so alike: white cabinets/silver hardware, black countertops, stainless appliances, galley style. I am gearing up to do video too so you'll see it soon. Can't wait to see more from you.

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  11. Awesome job!! Totally made that pumpkin bundt cake look so appealing. I also try to find an excuse to add choco chips to anything haha also carob chips. Yuuuuuum.

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  12. I made this yesterday afternoon. Wow is it good! My husband doesn't even like pumpkin and he liked this bread. My youngest ate two large pieces this morning after breakfast and my daughter took it to school for lunch with cream cheese as a sandwich. It's positively fantastic!!

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  13. Hey Kelsey!

    You did a GREAT job with the video! LOVED it! For a first timer, you look like a pro. I almost forgot what you were baking!

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  14. Great job on your first video! I used the same Whole Foods pumpkin puree for my pumpkin-oatmeal muffins

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  15. I just made these (1 9X5 loaf, 12 muffins), and they look and smell fabulous! I looked up 10-15 recipes online before deciding to make yours - I loved how friendly and approachable your recipe and explanation was! :-)

    I can't get the video to play, but I loved this recipe anyway. It's definitely a good one to have in the arsenal!

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  16. PS - the video is playing now. Very cute! :)

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  17. hi kim - I am SO glad you liked the bread. It is a great one to have in your repertoire for sure - enjoy it! Also, I am glad you got the video to work!

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