Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

It is the time of year for all things pumpkin and this pumpkin bread recipe does not disappoint!  Mel from Mel's Kitchen Cafe  says that it tastes best when it has cooled completely for a few hours and even better the next day.  It is true... I tried a piece warm out of the oven, one a few hours later, and one after I had stored it in my refrigerator overnight, and it was definitely the tastiest the next day!  (Leave it to me to experiment with all three scenarios!)  

Recipe makes 2 (9x5 inch loaves) or 3 (8x4 inch loaves)

2 1/2 cups white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 cups sugar (I got away with about 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups and it still tasted wonderful)

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

2/3 cup water

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans (or three 8x4 inch loaf pans).  In a  large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together canned pumpkin, oil, eggs, and 2/3 cup water until well combined and stir into dry ingredients, just until the dry ingredients are moistened and no dry streaks remain.  Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake the bread for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove the bread from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Run a knife gently around the edge of the bread and turn bread out, right side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely.