One of the greatest things about the holidays in my opinion is gingerbread, and more specifically this gingerbread loaf!
This quick bread is super easy to whip up, no stand mixer required and it’s finished with a cinnamon-y cream cheese frosting that is life-changing!
Baked goods with warming spices in any form are a must for the holiday season. If you love this recipe you’ll be sure to love my chewy molasses cookies and this best ever banana bread !
A few things to note about why this gingerbread loaf is the best:
- It’s perfectly moist
- Easy to make using a hand mixer
- Great for holidays and/or gift giving
- Had the perfect about of spice!
- Delicious with a warm cup of coffee
Ingredients you will need
I always shop at Sprouts for our organic ingredients; I just love the variety and how accessible the ingredients are. I especially love sopping at Sprouts around the holidays because the seasonality of items and how helpful their staff always is!
Pro Tip:
Use the spice bulk section at Sprouts to stock up on your holiday spices. You can scoop out however much you need instead of buying a large container!
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Dry ingredients:
- Flour
- Ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg
- Baking Soda
- Salt
Wet ingredients
- Unsalted Butter
- Organic Brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Organic Molasses
- Boiling water/ hot water
For the frosting:
- Cream cheese, softened
- Butter
- Organic Molasses
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Organic powdered confectioners sugar
How to make it:
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl.
- Cream together the butter and brown sugar in another bowl. Add in egg and vanilla.
- Combine the molasses and boiling water in a measuring cup or bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add flour mixture alternately with molasses mixture.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely.
- Make the cream cheese frosting and spread on the cooled loaf.
Tips and tricks for making a gingerbread loaf
- Mixing the molasses with boiling water helps to thin out the molasses and add moisture to the loaf.
- Use a Metal Loaf Pan 9×5 inch: a darker color metal loaf pan absorbs more heat and may result in a darker and thicker crust. Use a light colored aluminum loaf pan for a lighter more tender crust.
- The bake time can vary from oven to oven. Your bread may take a few minutes longer, or less, but I recommend to start checking the bread around 35 minutes.
- Be careful not to over mix. You hear this ALL the time with quick bread recipes, I know! Overmixing can lead to a dense gingerbread loaf and essentially ruining the gluten development in the bread. Beat just until combined and smooth. The more gently you handle the bread, the more tender the bread will be!
- Store leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days.
More Breads to Love
Carrot Cake Bread
Rum Banana Bread
Best Pumpkin Bread (Super Moist!)
Cranberry Orange Breakfast Bread
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Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-Purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (8 Tbsp.)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Frosting
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (4 Tbsp.)
- 1 Tbsp. molasses
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5 inch bread pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and baking soda. 2 cups All-Purpose flour, 1 Tbsp. ground ginger, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves, 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (1-2 min). Add in the egg and vanilla and mix again. 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, 1 large egg, room temperature, 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Combine the molasses and boiling water in a measuring cup or bowl and whisk until smooth. 1/2 cup molasses, 1/2 cup boiling water
- Add the flour mixture alternately with molasses mixture into the butter & sugar. Do not over mix the batter.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.
- Allow to cool on a cooling rack
- For the frosting, in a medium bowl cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Then add in the molasses, cinnamon and salt. Mix again. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. 4 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 Tbsp. molasses, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 pinch salt, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Spread over the cooled gingerbread loaf , sprinkle cinnamon on top and allow frosting to set up for 1 hour (if you can wait!)
Video
Notes
- Keep wrapped in plastic wrap or in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
- This can also be made in an 8x4 inch loaf pan, you will need to bake longer. I would check around 40-45 minutes, ovens may vary.
