Description
Ultra-simple chocolate bread made with just two ingredients: chocolate cake mix and pumpkin puree. No eggs, oil, or butter needed. Moist, chocolatey, and perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. Ready in 30 minutes and costs under $4. Perfect for budget-conscious families and beginner bakers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, or store brand)
- 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree – NOT pumpkin pie filling (Libby’s, Farmer’s Market, or store brand)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, butter, or line with parchment paper. Don’t skip this step—the bread will stick without it.
- In a large bowl, dump the entire box of cake mix and entire can of pumpkin puree.
- Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Batter will be very thick (like brownie batter or cookie dough). Don’t overmix—stop when you don’t see dry cake mix powder anymore. Small lumps are fine.
- If using add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, fold them in now with a few gentle stirs.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. The batter won’t self-level—spread it manually.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- Start checking at 25 minutes to avoid overbaking. Every oven is different.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack.
- Cool for at least 10 more minutes before slicing. Cutting too soon will cause it to fall apart.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers wrapped tightly at room temperature for 3 days, refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- CRITICAL: Use pure pumpkin puree only – not Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Mix or any pie filling which has added spices and sugar
- Don’t overbake – check at 25 minutes; overbaking makes it dry and crumbly
- Batter will be VERY thick – much thicker than regular cake batter, more like cookie dough or brownie batter. This is normal!
- For muffins: Use the same batter in a greased muffin tin; bake 15-18 minutes (makes 12 muffins)
- Substitutions: Can replace pumpkin with 1 cup Greek yogurt (tangier, more protein) or 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (sweeter, lighter)
- For keto version: Use Simple Mills or Lakanto keto chocolate cake mix with same amount of pumpkin or Greek yogurt
- Storage: Wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap or aluminum foil; freezes beautifully for up to 3 months
- Texture: This is quick bread (like banana bread or pumpkin bread), not yeast bread—expect dense, moist, cake-like texture
- Cost: Under $4 total ($0.40-0.50 per slice) – perfect for budget-conscious families
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 90g)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
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