Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bread

This sourdough pumpkin chocolate swirl bread is the perfect marriage of pumpkin bread and chocolate yumminess. 

Fall is, of course, pumpkin spice season. 

But sometimes you want a little something different. 

And this sourdough pumpkin chocolate swirl bread is my answer to that dilemma. 

The flavor is not overly pumpkin spice-y.

It’s not too sweet.

And it uses a whole can of canned pumpkin puree. 

Just in case if you don’t have any fresh pumpkins handy to make your own way-better-than-canned pumpkin puree. 

As an added bonus, it’s a great sourdough discard recipe!

So many good things about this sourdough pumpkin chocolate swirl bread recipe!

It makes two loaves, so there’s one for now and one to freeze for later. 

Ready to make some magic?

Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bread

Ingredients 

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup sourdough starter discard (unfed)
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup butter or coconut oil
• 1 3/4 cups homemade pumpkin puree OR 1 can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 2  large eggs
• ½ cup homemade buttermilk*
• 1 Tablespoon homemade vanilla extract
• 3 ounces semisweet baking chocolate (I use this soy free chocolate)
• 2 Tablespoon cocoa powder

*If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can make your own using regular milk and white vinegar. Put 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar in a measuring cup then add enough milk to give you 1 cup. Give it a stir and let it sit and thicken up for a few minutes before using.

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350℉. 

Butter two loaf pans. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the starter, and melted butter or coconut oil. 

Then stir in the pumpkin puree, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. 

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture a little at a time, beating after each addition. 

While that is beating, heat the baking chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat, JUST UNTIL MELTED.

Remove from heat. 

Whisk it up to get any lumps out, add the cocoa powder to the melted chocolate and whisk again. 

Transfer about half of the pumpkin mixture to the chocolate and mix that up really well. 

Now transfer the chocolate batter back to the bowl with the pumpkin batter and swirl it together gently. 

We’re just going for a little marbled effect here. 

Add the batter to the prepared pans and smooth the top. 

You could also just add each one separately to the prepared pans and swirl it then.

Bake in a preheated oven for 45-55 minutes. 

Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick or cake tester into the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done. 

Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack. 

Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting for the best texture. 

Now, slice a piece of that sourdough pumpkin chocolate swirl bread, slap some butter on there, and enjoy with a hot beverage!

You’ve earned it!

More Sourdough Discard Recipes you should try: