Marbled Chocolate Pumpkin Bread with Pumpkin Caramel

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Add the eggs and sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat together using a stand or hand mixer. Beat in the butter followed by the vanilla, pumpkin and buttermilk. Continue beating until everything is well mixed.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet.

Place the chocolate chips in a bowl and melt them in the microwave for a minute or two, heating for 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between. Spoon half the batter into the melted chocolate to create the chocolate batter.

Butter and flour a standard size loaf pan (I also placed a sheet of parchment paper in the pan, making sure the paper hung over the sides of the pan for easy removal). Pour in half the pumpkin batter followed by the chocolate batter and top with the remaining pumpkin batter. Run a butter knife through the batter to create the swirl.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven. Allow cake to cool before removing from the pan and slicing. Serve with some sauce drizzled over each slice.

To make the sauce, melt the sugar in a pot over a low to medium flame. Do not stir. When the sugar has completely melted, remove pot from the heat and add the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up. Return to a low flame and stir until any lumps are gone. Stir in the butter, vanilla, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and salt to taste. Once combined, remove from heat and serve.