The Holy Divinity of Spice Bread

toasty spiced goodess of my favorite orange loaf

Like a good college graduate, I’ve been missing college this past week, especially certain eating places that had been on campus. In this way,  I have been trying to recreate all the dishes I’ve missed (though some are quite silly, including grilled cheese and tomato soup, milkshakes and egg sandwiches.) Here, though, is one that was really missing from my soul. All year round, the glorious Refectory (in our Divinity School) would offer pumpkin bread, be it the depths of winter or the heat of summer. It makes me sad when such a scrumptious squash is season-limited, although when it is pumpkin season aka in the run up to Thanksgiving, it does always taste a little better 🙂 Therefore, I felt no guilt in re-creating my most favorite Duke Dish- chocolate chip pumpkin bread. And yes, it did taste just as good as the real thing, perhaps even better as it was HOT. This recipe is certainly moist, with a nice bounce that I love in a good pumpkin bread. I added walnuts as walnuts are a fabulous bite to have in a spice bread; I added chocolate chips as the Refectory does too, and what such a holy establishment does I feel that I am allowed to emulate in all ways…

Spice-filled joy awaits you!

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

(Makes two loaves- inspired by Bon Appetit!)

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable/sunflower oil

3 large eggs

1 16oz can pumpkin

3  cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line or grease/flour two bread pans.
2. Beat sugar and oil together in a large bowl. Add eggs and pumpkin, stirring until smooth and orange all the way through.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, baking powder.
4. Stir flour mixture into the lovely pumpkin mix in 3 additions.
5. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.
6. Divide batter between the two bread pans and bake for about 1hr, or until tester inserted into center comes out clean.
7. Smell the gorgeous spicy sweetness in your kitchen.
8. Turn loaves out onto cooling racks and eat while still hot. Yes, yes that is good….! Try with Mexican Chocolate ice cream (recipe to follow) for a REAL treat!

the Spice of the Bread and the subtle Spice of the chocolate cream are so beautiful in your mouth. Promise!