It wouldn’t be Christmas without something gingerbread and this Gingerbread Loaf is warm, cozy and oh so Christmasy! It’s moist and fluffy and perfect for your holiday dessert table.
Hey there folks! We’re getting down to the wire. Christmas is just over a week away!
We’ve decked the halls, sent out the Christmas cards and now I’m carefully planning the menu for the big day. How about you?
At our house it wouldn’t be Christmas without something gingerbread and today’s Gingerbread Loaf is not only dee-lish, but super easy to make too! And how cute is this Nordic Ware Loaf Pan? It’s called Santa’s Sleigh Loaf Pan and I love it!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
If you’re looking for a recipe that comes together in less than one hour, a loaf cake is always a good choice.
Whether you have the pretty pan or not, a loaf cake is perfect for any occasion and any leftover slices freeze perfectly for later.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- ground ginger
- cinnamon
- allspice
- ground cloves
- cardamom
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- molasses (unsulphured)
- eggs
- milk
Step-By-Step Instructions
The first step is to combine your baking soda, salt and spices with your flour. You’ll whisk everything until well combined and then set aside.
Next up, in the bowl of a stand mixer (or by hand) you’ll cream together your butter and brown sugar followed by your molasses and then your eggs, one at a time until well combined.
You will add a third of your flour mixture, followed by half your milk, then another third of flour, the rest of your milk and then the remainder of your flour until just combined.
Pour everything into your loaf pan that has been generously sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Mine took 40 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire cooling rack.
Wait just about 10 minutes before attempting to remove from the pan to a serving platter, then let fully cool before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
This gingerbread loaf is a classic holiday treat! It’s moist and fluffy and the combination of warm spices can’t be beat. Treat yourself this season!
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Gingerbread Loaf
No need to have a fancy loaf pan for this recipe. Any 9×5-inch loaf pan will do.
If you have any leftover slices just add to a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for later. When you want to enjoy, just remove from freezer to counter to thaw.
Before we enjoyed our slices I dusted my loaf with some confectioners’ sugar. This is optional.
More Delicious Holiday Desserts to Enjoy
Double Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Peppermint Ganache
Spiced Layer Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream and Sugared Cranberries
Gingerbread Loaf
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1/4 tsp. cardamom
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan generously with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and spices until well combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or by hand) you'll cream together your butter and brown sugar on medium speed followed by your molasses and then your eggs, one at a time until well combined.
- Add a third of your flour mixture, followed by half your milk, then another third of flour, the rest of your milk and then the remainder of your flour until just combined. Pour everything into your prepared loaf pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Mine took 40 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Nordic Ware
Would shortening work in place of butter?
I have only tried this recipe with butter Jody. Substituting with shortening may change the texture. If you do make the substitute I would use an equal amount, 1/2 cup. Enjoy!