1/2cupmilk(whole, skim, or low fat) plus 1 tablespoon; divided
1/2cupbaker's cocoa powder
1/2cupDemerara Natural Cane sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare two 9" x 5" loaf pans or one 10" bundt (tube) pan with cooking spray and then dust with flour. Shake excess flour out of pan bottoms by tapping over the sink or a trash can with the base of your palm.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Next add the vanilla and pumpkin and blend until just incorporated.
Meanwhile, in another bowl, lightly spoon flour into a 1 cup dry measuring cup and scrape level with a knife. Repeat for the two remaining cups needed for the recipe. Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk together.
Into the mixer, add about 1/3 of the flour mixture into the bowl and turn the mixer on medium low. When that is incorporated, add half the milk, then repeat again with another third of the flour mixture, the remainder of the milk and ending with the last of the flour.
Once incorporated, remove 1 cup of batter and add it back into the flour bowl and add the cocoa powder and the 1 tablespoon of milk and mix well; set aside.
Spoon the batter about half full in the prepared pan(s). Top this by spoonfuls with the chocolate batter (but not entirely covering the pumpkin batter). Gently run the blade of a knife around the pan several times to create swirls of pumpkin and chocolate. Top with the remaining pumpkin batter and smooth. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with finishing sugar. This is optional but gives the loaves a finished bakery look.
Bake at 350°F for 50 - 60 minutes or until a cake pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan(s) 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.