Let’s Eat: Chocolate and pumpkin desserts for a tasty bite of fall

By Heidi Sutton

Fall is about cooler weather, football, sweaters and warm, delicious food. It’s about gathering around the table with loved ones to enjoy a snack or meal and making memories that will last a lifetime. This season, when you’re craving something sweet, try these fall desserts which pair savory pumpkin and decadent chocolate for a nontraditional flavor combination that’s hard to resist.

Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake

Recipe courtesy of Culinary.net

YIELD: Makes 9 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup flour

2 to 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350 F and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until bubbles form. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking. Add the pumpkin puree. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Whisk until well combined. 

Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and level it out. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the dish using the parchment paper and slice to serve.

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips

Recipe courtesy of Family Features

YIELD: Makes 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2  cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3  cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

In large bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin spice. Set aside. 

In medium bowl, combine canned pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Stir together. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients; mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. 

Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 45-50 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool at least 10 minutes in pan before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.