Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Loaf with Spicy Glaze (and homemade pumpkin pie spice)

PUMPKIN AND CHOCOLATE LOAF

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup black walnuts (or regular walnuts), finely chopped, divided use
Spice Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

Combine flour with pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter in large mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar and mix at high speed of mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs; beat well.

Turn mixer to low speed and add dry ingredients, alternating with pumpkin. Begin and end with dry ingredients; blend well after each addition.

Stir in chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

Bake for 65-75 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool, then glaze with Spice Glaze.

SPICE GLAZE

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons light cream

Combine powdered sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Blend in 1-2 tablespoons light cream until the consistency desired (should be thin).

*If pumpkin pie spice is not available, use:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Source: Jo Anne Merrill