Every year as the weather gets cooler and the leaves start to change, the obsession with pumpkin flavored foods and drinks returns. Say what you want about pumpkin spice lattes or pumpkin pie, but nothing says fall more than a loaf of fresh pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin bread has a direct association with my favorite time of year — autumn. Even pumpkin bread’s rusty orange color matches the fall aesthetic. Its seasonal essence gives it a more special quality than, say, banana bread, which you can enjoy any time of the year. Knowing that something has a finite accessibility makes you appreciate it more. The more you appreciate something, the better it tastes.

The blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves creates a trinity of subtle yet strong spices that perfectly complement the bright pumpkin flavor. These flavors synthesize into a pleasant, earthy taste, which creates a perfect, basic bread that allows for additions of other ingredients to amplify its deliciousness.

My favorite things to add are dark chocolate chips and crushed pecans. The richness of the dark chocolate, as well as its slight bitterness, makes it the perfect complement to the subtle spices and sweet taste of pumpkin in the bread. Adding nuts creates a nice crunch to the more spongy, moist texture of the loaf.

Pumpkin bread is one-of-a-kind. The diversity of its flavors and possible textures blend into a loaf perfect for the fall. With it being so seasonal, each bite is more special and appreciated. If you want a great recipe, check out the one below!

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups of sugar

2 large eggs

1 and 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 15-oz can pumpkin

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Start by putting the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl and whisking it all together.

2. Next, place the butter and sugar into a separate large bowl and combine them using an electric mixer.

3. After combining the butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating them into the mix after each addition.

4. Once the butter, sugar and eggs are all mixed together, add the pumpkin–the mix should be a light orange color.

5. Next, add the combination of flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg from earlier and mix them together using an electric mixer. Finally, pour the chocolate chips into the batter and stir until they are evenly distributed. Add the pumpkin loaf batter to two greased loaf pans and place in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 65-75 minutes. Once baked, allow the loaves to cool. Then you are free to enjoy!