Chocolate Pumpkin Bread

Today is a very special day because today I am going to share with you one of my very favorite recipes: Chocolate Pumpkin Bread.  I don’t know who to give credit to for this recipe as I believe it came from the newspaper when I was young.  My Mom happened to see it, cut it out and decided to give it a try.  Needless to say, it was a big hit and she often made it to give as gifts during the holidays.  Last weekend I decided to make my Mom’s Chocolate Pumpkin Bread to take to a party.  I have had several people ask for the recipe so here it is.  I hope you all enjoy it.

• 1-1/4 cups oil
• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
• 3-1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 29 oz. can pumpkin
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3-3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1-3/4 tsp salt
• 1-1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1-1/4 tsp ground clove
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 8 oz. chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Melt together over low heat half of oil with chocolate; set aside.  Cream remaining oil with sugar.  Beat in eggs.  Add melted chocolate mixture and blend.  Combine pumpkin and vanilla and add to batter.  Slowly blend in sifted dry ingredients until moistened, then beat well until no lumps appear.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until firm for small loaf pans, 1 hour 15 minutes for large pans.  Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool.  Makes 3 loaves (9×15); 4 loaves (8×4); 7 cans or 7 mini loaves.