Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread
2 Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with baking spray and overhanging parchment paper.
3 In a medium bowl hand whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
4 In a large bowl, hand whisk together vegetable oil with granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Followed by the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
6 Spoon half of the flour mixture into the wet mixture, mix until combined. Then repeat with the remaining flour mixture.
7 Fold in chocolate chunks with a spatula.
8 Spoon batter the into the baking pan and level with a spatula.
9 Bake for 60-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only small moist crumbs. *Check the loaf at the 55 minute mark.
10 Place pan on cooling rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Pull up on the overhanging parchment paper and  lift the loaf from the pan, place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. 
Toasted Italian Meringue
13 While baked pumpkin bread is cooling prepare your meringue.
14 Place egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment.
15 In a medium sauce pan gently stir together sugar and water. Turn up to high heat.  
16 Cook until sugar syrup reads 240°F on an instant read or candy thermometer.  Which is in between soft and firm ball stage.
17 While sugar syrup is cooking, turn on mixer to medium speed. Whip egg whites and cream of tartar until reaches soft peaks. This is where when you lift the head of the mixer, the fluffy egg whites should form gentle peaks that slowly collapse back into the mixture.
18 Once you have soft peaks and the sugar syrup is ready, keep the mixer running on medium speed and carefully pour a slow drizzle of the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites. Aim for the space between rotating whisk and side of bowl.
19 Once the sugar syrup has been added, turn the mixer up to high and whip until desired stiff peaks have formed. The mixing bowl will be hot, so I tend to whisk until the bowl cools.
20 Spoon Italian Meringue onto cooled Pumpkin Bread and rotate spatula or spoon for desired look. Using a small kitchen torch, toast the meringue to create golden brown edges.