Pumpkin Chocolate Babka

Pumpkin Chocolate Babka - Moist, decadent swirled bread made with brioche dough flavored with sweet pumpkin and rich chocolate. A moist loaf, almost like a cake, makes a great breakfast or delicious dessert!

Love homemade bread? Try some Chocolate Babka, Star Bread, Pumpkin Banana Nut Bread, Honey Oat Bread, and How To Make Challah Bread.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BABKA

This Pumpkin Chocolate Bread is a rich, flavorful bread that feels like dessert for breakfast. Packed with fall flavors like pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and cloves, it is a perfect treat for the upcoming holidays!

The sweet pumpkin purée and the rich dark chocolate create an elegantly swirled bread.

Pumpkin Chocolate Babka - Is it breakfast or is it dessert? Either way, this decadent pumpkin chocolate bread is so delish!

This Pumpkin Chocolate babka is a perfect seasonal treat. It's packed with warm spices and sweet pumpkins. Delish!

Buttery brioche dough flavored with pumpkin puree and swirled with decadent chocolate.

This pumpkin chocolate babka bread recipe is bursting with fall flavors that the whole family will love.

Moist, delicious, and full of pumpkin flavor, this Pumpkin Chocolate babka is a must-try this fall season!

INGREDIENTS FOR PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BABKA

Pumpkin puree: Use pure, 100% pumpkin puree store-bought or homemade pumpkin puree. Do not use a can of pumpkin pie filling.

Chocolate: Use 70% or higher dark chocolate, chips, or chopped. For cocoa powder, use 100% Cacao natural unsweetened powder. I like Hershey's and Ghirardelli chocolate and got good results with them.

Spices: Fall favorites, Pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger.

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BABKA

This pumpkin chocolate babka is extremely easy to make at home. Follow my foolproof recipe and make this fall favorite, pumpkin chocolate babka in just 6 easy steps.

1. PREPARE THE DOUGH [BY HAND OR USING A STAND MIXER]

2. FIRST PROOFING [TRADITIONAL OR USING INSTANT POT]

3. PREPARE THE FILLING

4. SHAPE BABKA

5. SECOND PROOFING

6. BAKE BABKA

DIRECTIONS FOR PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BABKA

STEP 1: PREPARE THE DOUGH [BY HAND OR USING A STAND MIXER]

In a cup, stir in lukewarm milk [100*F – 110* F], sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes, or until it turns frothy, and doubles in volume.

Note: If the yeast is active, the mixture turns frothy, and doubles in volume. If the mixture does not double in size, start the process again with fresh yeast.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, yeast mixture, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Mix well. Add the flour, and using a spatula mix until the flour is incorporated.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Add softened butter, and knead the dough until it is soft, elastic, springs back when pressed, and is not sticky around 15-20 minutes. If using a stand mixer, knead the dough for 5 minutes.

Note: If the dough feels too sticky, add some flour and if it is too dry, add 1-2 teaspoons of warm milk, and knead the dough, until it is nice and soft.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl.

STEP 2: FIRST PROOFING

Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn it once to grease the top.

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and place it in a warm place, for 60-90 minutes or until it doubles in volume.

If using Instant Pot for proofing, place the dough in the greased inner pot, and turn it once to grease the top. Place the lid, and cover the pot. Turn ON YOGURT (normal) for 1 hour.

Note: I used a glass lid that fits, to cover the inner pot.

STEP 3: PREPARE THE FILLING

Using a double boiler method, simmer a pot filled a little less than halfway with water. Place a heatproof bowl, that sits well on the bottom pot. Add butter, chocolate, and sugar to the bowl. Reduce the heat to low, and stir the chocolate until silky smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in cocoa, and allow it to cool and thicken.

STEP 4: SHAPE PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BABKA

Grease a 9*5 inch baking pan with some softened butter.

Transfer the dough onto a work surface and punch it down. Lightly flour the work surface, and roll the ball into a 16 * 12-inch rectangle.

Apply the chocolate mixture evenly on the top, leaving about ¼ inch of the edge of the rectangle bare.

Roll the dough into a tight roll, starting from the long edge, seam side down.

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll lengthwise in half; carefully turn each cut-sides facing upwards. Pinch the top ends together to seal, then twist the strips around each other, to make a two-stranded plait. Press the bottom ends to seal. Carefully, lift the shaped dough, and place it in a greased baking pan.

STEP 5: SECOND PROOFING

Cover the shaped bread with plastic wrap, and place it in a warm place, for 1.5 – 2 hours or until it doubles in size and becomes puffy.

Note: Lightly spray the plastic wrap (the side that goes on the bread) with some cooking spray.

STEP 6: BAKE PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BABKA

Preheat the oven to 375*F.

Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes or the top is golden brown and the toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Note: If the top is browning quickly, loosely tent the bread with the foil.

While bread is baking, make sugar syrup. In a saucepan, over medium heat, stir together water and sugar until dissolved. Reduce the heat and cook the syrup for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Remove the bread from the oven, immediately brush it with sugar syrup and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and slicing it.

TIPS FOR THE DELICIOUS PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BABKA

If the yeast is active, the mixture turns frothy and doubles in volume. If the mixture does not double in size, start the process again with fresh yeast.

Check the consistency of the dough after kneading it for 4-5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add some flour and if it is too dry, add 1-2 teaspoons of warm milk. 

Do not over-knead the dough. The dough should be soft, elastic, and not sticky.

Make sure the chocolate filling is cool completely and is not too runny. If the filling is too moist or runny, it will ooze out and make it messy.

If using a stand mixer to prepare the bread dough, double the recipe. I use a 5-quart stand mixer and find making dough in larger quantities, works better. 

Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the bread into pieces. This bread is quite delicate and has a mixed texture somewhere between bread and cake. A serrated knife gives clean-cut pieces, without tearing them apart.

FAQs

Why do Jews eat babka?

Challah is a very popular bread made during Sabbath and Jewish holidays. It is believed that the babka was prepared from the extra challah dough, filled with cinnamon or jam, and rolled up and baked as a treat.

Is babka bread or cake?

Babka is a sweet braided bread popular among Jewish communities. Often referred to as yeast cake, babka is prepared with a yeast-leavened dough, filled with cinnamon or jam, and rolled up and baked.

Is babka a dessert or breakfast?

Babka is a sweet bread with a cake-like texture. It can be eaten as a dessert or served for breakfast.

Why is babka so good?

Babka is a sweet bread made with enriched dough with a cake-like texture. It is rich, and buttery, and has a brioche-like texture. This sweet braided bread can be enjoyed as a breakfast or a decadent dessert.

Is babka served warm or cold?

Babka tastes best if served at room temperature. It stays fresh for 2 days at room temperature. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.

What does babka taste like?

Babka is a sweet, buttery yeast bread with swirls of decadent chocolate or cinnamon flavor. These swirls are utterly delicious and irresistible!

Is babka same as brioche?

Babka and brioche are both made with enriched, yeast dough. Babka and brioche, both are rich, buttery, and sweet breads. Typically, Brioche is baked in a tall loaf pan.

What's the difference between babka and challah?

Babka and challah, both are made from an enriched, yeasted dough. Unlike challah, babka is filled with chocolate or cinnamon and is glazed with sweet syrup. Chocolate Babka has gained popularity in recent years, with many new variations in fillings, shapes, toppings, and much more.

Why my bread is dense and chewy?

For a nice, soft, and fluffy bread, it is important to knead the dough enough. If the dough is not kneaded enough, it lacks strength turns out chewy and quite dense in texture.

As the yeast grows, it produces gas and carbon dioxide. Depending on how much gas is produced in the dough, the bread will turn out light and soft.

How to store & reheat the bread?

Store the bread in a Ziploc bag, or an air-tight container. Bread lasts for a few days at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator.

To reheat bread, preheat the oven to 350*F. Place it on a baking sheet, and tent it loosely with some foil. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until warm through.

How long babka last in the freezer?

Babka freezes well for up to 3 months. Store it in a freezer-friendly storage bag or container, and freeze it. Defrost, reheat, and enjoy pumpkin Chocolate Babka.

How do you serve babka?

Babka is best served warm, at room temperature. Enjoy a slice of moist, decadent babka with a cup of coffee or tea as breakfast or as a dessert.

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