pumpkin chocolate brownies!

So, my mom came home the other day excitedly carrying a can of pumpkin from the supermarket exclaiming that i would be able to make pumpkin dessert soon. I looked at her strangely at first for the suggestion--I, like so many others, had fallen under society's treacherous lie that pumpkin is a fall item. Thankfully, though, i rethought it, and decided that i would break these oddly constructed barriers, and use this pumpkin with the full enthusiasm that it clearly deserves..and here is the result! Pumpkin chocolate layered brownies. They make me scoff in disbelief at my former notions of pumpkin as fall fare. These brownies have so much texture--the cakey pumpkin layer and the fudgey chocolate layer are sinfully synergistic. I promise you won't be disappointed.





Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies (adapted from Martha Stewart)
makes around 10 generous servings

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups pumpkin
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon all-spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a nine inch square baking dish (I only had an eight inch on hand, so i baked them 10-15 minues more). Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Beat the sugar, vanilla, and eggs with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 4 to 5 minutes), and then gradually beat in the dry mix.

Divide the batter into two bowls. Add the pumpkin, oil, and spice to one and add the melted chocolate to the other. Pour half of the chocolate batter into the baking dish, then pour half of the pumpkin batter in. Repeat. Make sure your layers are even (use a spatula to do this), but don't worry about perfection--the chocolate batter is thicker and harder to spread evenly.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes (admittedly, i couldn't wait to cut them so i cannot verify the optimal time). While cooling, grab a handful of chocolate chips and melt them in the microwave. Take a plastic bag and cut a small hole at the tip (or, if you have actual baker tips, fee free to use those), then put the melted chocolate in it. Once the brownies are cut, make chocolate designs on top! If desired, sprinkle some chopped nuts (I used chopped peanut brittle) on them. Enjoy and devour!