Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that your oven is hot and ready when you finish preparing the batter.
Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray to prevent the bread from sticking to the pan. You can also line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal.
Mix dry ingredients. Separately, combine pumpkin, oil, eggs, sugar. Gradually blend wet into dry.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Set aside.
Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared loaf pan. Drizzle half of the melted chocolate over the batter. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the chocolate into the batter. Repeat with the remaining batter and chocolate.
Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Keep an eye on the bread towards the end of the baking time to avoid over-browning.
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. Then, transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, slice the Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Bread into thick slices and serve. Enjoy it with a cup of coffee or tea for a delicious treat!