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Pumpkin Chocolate Babka Recipe

Sweet, spiced pumpkin yeast bread meets rich, dark chocolate in this twist on the classic babka. This gorgeous fall pumpkin chocolate babka bread is as delicious to eat as it is fun to make! 

Prep Time
6 hrs
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
6 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 345 kcal
Course: Bread
Cuisine: European

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread
  • 1/3 cup warmed whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 5 Tablespoons salted butter softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground ginger
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • Pinch allspice
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
Chocolate Filling
  • 5 Tablespoons salted butter
  • 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
  • 5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 Tablespoon honey

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, preferably one attached to a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine the warm milk, yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/3 cup of the flour and allow it to sit until foamy.
  2. Add in the pumpkin, butter, egg, salt, and spices and mix to combine. Add in the remaining flour, bit by bit, until completely incorporated, then knead for 5 minutes at medium-high speed using the dough hook of a stand mixer, until the dough is smooth.
  3. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours to give the dough a chance to rise at a cold temperature, which helps develop the texture and flavor. It will also make this dough easier to roll out.
  4. When dough is about ready to be formed into a loaf, prepare a 9-inch loaf pan by lining it with a parchment paper sling, which will make it easy to remove the loaf when it is done baking.
  5. Prepare the chocolate filling by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then stirring in the sugar until almost completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add in the chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth, then add the cocoa powder and stir to combine and form a thick filling.
  6. Take the risen dough out of the refrigerator and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 12x20-inch rectangle and then spread the chocolate filling evenly across the dough, spreading it all the way to the edges.
  7. Roll the long edge of the dough into a tight log, just like when making cinnamon rolls, and pinch the edges closed. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough in half lengthwise. Then with the cut sides facing up, cross one end over the other and repeat all the way down the length of the dough, keeping the cut sides facing up while wrapping the two lengths of dough around each other to form a rope or twist.
  8. Gently lift the twisted loaf and squish it into your prepared pan, tucking the ends under. Set in a warm place, covered with a clean towel, to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until almost doubled in size.
  9. While dough is rising, prepare the syrup by combining the water, sugar, and honey and bringing it to a boil in a small saucepan. Let the syrup boil for 4 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
  10. Preheat oven to 375°F. When oven is hot, bake the babka for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out mostly clean (it's hard to miss the chocolate streaks so chances are it won't be perfectly clean). Remove the baked babka from the oven and drizzle it with the room temperature syrup. I only used about half of the syrup and thought it was perfect but you could easily use more if you want to add more sweetness and have a moister babka.
  11. Wait until the babka is completely cool before removing it from the pan and slicing to serve.

Notes

  • Recipe adapted from Sprinkle with Salt and David Lebovitz.

Nutrition Information

Calories 345kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 16g (25%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 4g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 48mg (16%) Sodium 230mg (10%) Potassium 183mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 24g (48%) Vitamin A 2298IU (46%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 32mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10slices

Amount Per Serving

Calories 345

% Daily Value*

Calories 345kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 16g 25%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 230mg 10%
Potassium 183mg 4%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 24g 48%
Vitamin A 2298IU 46%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 32mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.