The jury is still out: pumpkin swirl brownies

I was very excited to try these Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies and made them for last week's Friday Night Football tailgate. They were good, but not fantastic; I'm still looking for some good recipes to help alleviate my pumpkin baking obsession. The tailgate crowd wasn't quite sure what to think of the brownies. Some thought they were good, some just thought they were weird. One thought they'd be better with vanilla whipped cream on top. It was evident, however, that they were not the best thing I've ever baked. That's okay, not everything can be the best thing you've ever baked!

Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 can solid-pack pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!)

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter lining.

Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.Divide batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don't set.With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.
- Recipe originally from Martha Stewart; I saw it on How to Eat a Cupcake