Pumpkin Bread with Black Cocoa Streusel

Ingredients

• 1 cup Canned pumpkin puree (Prefer 100 % pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 cups All‑purpose flour (For the batter; also used in streusel)
• 0.5 cup Avocado oil (or other neutral oil) (Neutral flavor; can substitute vegetable oil, melted butter, or melted coconut oil)
• 2 large Large eggs (Room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons Maple syrup (Pure maple syrup for subtle flavor)
• 0.75 cup Granulated sugar (Adjust sweetness to taste; can be reduced if using more maple syrup)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons Baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
• 1 pinch Ground cloves (Cloves are strong; use sparingly)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Adds bright orange color; flavor is subtle)
• 0.5 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 0.25 cup Cold unsalted butter, cubed (Use cold butter for streusel; can substitute with chilled coconut oil for dairy‑free version)
• 0.5 cup All‑purpose flour (for streusel)
• 0.5 cup Demerara sugar (Gives crunchy texture; can use brown or granulated sugar)
• 0.25 cup Raw pumpkin seeds (Will toast on top during baking; can use roasted salted seeds)
• 2 tablespoons Black cocoa powder (Heavily alkalized cocoa for deep black color; mild chocolate flavor)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven and prepare pan

   Set oven rack to the center and preheat to 350°F (177°C). Trim a piece of parchment paper to the length of the loaf pan, place it inside, smooth out air pockets, and lightly brush the parchment and pan with avocado oil.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 350°F

2. Make the black cocoa streusel

   In a bowl, combine 0.5 cup flour, 0.5 cup Demerara sugar, 0.5 tsp kosher salt, 0.25 cup raw pumpkin seeds, and 2 Tbsp black cocoa powder. Add 0.25 cup cold cubed butter and rub with fingertips until the mixture resembles uniform dark crumbs with no visible butter pieces.

   Time: PT10M

3. Whisk sugar and eggs

   In a separate bowl, whisk together 0.75 cup granulated sugar and the 2 large room‑temperature eggs until the mixture lightens slightly and increases in volume.

   Time: PT3M

4. Emulsify oil into the egg‑sugar mixture

   Slowly stream in 0.5 cup avocado oil while whisking continuously until fully incorporated, creating a smooth, slightly thickened batter.

   Time: PT3M

5. Add pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla

   Stir in 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 2 Tbsp maple syrup, and 2 tsp vanilla extract until evenly distributed.

   Time: PT2M

6. Incorporate dry ingredients and spices

   Add 2 cups all‑purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, a pinch of ground cloves, and 1 tsp turmeric powder. Mix until just combined; no lumps should remain.

   Time: PT5M

7. Transfer batter to pan and add streusel

   Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Evenly sprinkle the prepared streusel over the surface, breaking up any large clumps.

   Time: PT3M

8. Bake

   Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45–60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the loaf has risen and split.

   Time: PT55M

   Temperature: 350°F

9. Cool and unmold

   Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment paper and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

   Time: PT20M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

4 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Canned pumpkin puree: Mashed roasted butternut squash, Pureed sweet potato
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: Bread flour, Gluten‑free all‑purpose flour blend
• Instead of Avocado oil (or other neutral oil): Vegetable oil, Melted butter, Melted coconut oil
• Instead of Large eggs: Egg replacer (1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp water per egg), Applesauce (¼ cup per egg)
• Instead of Maple syrup: Honey, Brown rice syrup
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Coconut sugar, Brown sugar
• Instead of Vanilla extract: Vanilla bean paste, Maple extract
• Instead of Baking powder: 1 tsp baking soda + 2 tsp cream of tartar
• Instead of Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon sugar (reduce added sugar accordingly)
• Instead of Ground ginger: Ground cardamom (½ tsp)
• Instead of Ground cloves: Allspice (½ pinch)
• Instead of Turmeric powder: Paprika (for color only)
• Instead of Kosher salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Cold unsalted butter, cubed: Coconut oil (solid, chilled), Margarine
• Instead of All‑purpose flour (for streusel): Whole‑wheat flour
• Instead of Demerara sugar: Brown sugar, Granulated sugar
• Instead of Raw pumpkin seeds: Sunflower seeds, Toasted pepitas
• Instead of Black cocoa powder: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder (color will be brown), Dutch‑process cocoa (darker but not black)

Equipment Needed

• Oven
• 9×5‑inch loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Pastry brush (optional)
• Mixing bowls (2)
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cooling rack (optional)
• Cake tester or toothpick

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Fully incorporating cold butter into the streusel to avoid greasy pockets.
• Emulsifying the oil into the egg‑sugar mixture for a smooth batter.
• Checking doneness with a cake tester rather than relying on color.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use parchment paper cut to the exact length of the pan for a clean release.
• Toast pumpkin seeds separately for extra crunch and deeper flavor.
• Turmeric adds color without a strong flavor; you can increase to 1½ tsp for a brighter hue.
• Black cocoa provides dramatic contrast but a mild chocolate taste; don’t over‑mix it with the streusel to keep the flavor subtle.
• If you want individual servings, divide the batter into a 12‑cup muffin tin and sprinkle streusel on each.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Wrap tightly; keep for up to 5 days.

Freezer: Wrap in foil and place in a freezer bag; lasts up to 2 months.

Room temperature: At room temperature for up to 2 days, covered.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Bake the loaf a day ahead; it keeps well wrapped in the refrigerator.
• Streusel can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance and kept chilled.