Gingerbread Loaf
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Spread Christmas cheer with a tender gingerbread loaf, with comfort baked into every slice. Preheat your oven. Bake a treat that fills your home with a heavenly fragrance, and fills your heart with the nostalgic joy of seasonal baking. Share this special loaf with the ones you love.
👩🏻🍳 Why this Recipe’s a Keeper
- Festive Holiday Aromas: The warm and comforting blend of spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg that wafts through your home evokes the spirit of the holidays. It creates an atmosphere of joy and anticipation.
- Nostalgic Tradition: Gingerbread is a timeless holiday classic that carries a sense of tradition and nostalgia. Sharing a slice of gingerbread loaf is like passing down a delicious piece of history, connecting generations and creating lasting memories.
- Comfort in Every Slice: There’s something very comforting about a slice of gingerbread loaf, especially when enjoyed with a cup of hot chocolate. Its moist texture, rich flavor and gentle sweetness provide a comforting indulgence during the cold winter months.
- A Super Versatile Recipe: This loaf can be made 3 ways. I love making mine as a (copycat) Starbucks gingerbread loaf with or without vanilla-orange frosting. But you can make your loaf vegan, or gluten-free. The choice is yours!
- The Perfect Holiday Gift: A beautifully-wrapped gingerbread loaf is not just a gift of food. It’s a gesture of love and thoughtfulness. Whether shared with neighbors, friends, or coworkers, this loaf is a delightful present that captures the essence of the holiday spirit.
🍞 Versatile Recipe: Make Gingerbread Loaf 3 Ways
This gingerbread loaf recipe is very versatile. With a few simple tweaks, it can be made 3 different ways. It’s a loaf that can be enjoyed by everyone.
- Make a Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf: Ice the top of the loaf with vanilla orange frosting. Or add a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. Or try this irresistibly delicious vanilla buttercream frosting.
- Make a Vegan Gingerbread Loaf: It’s perfect for large gatherings so more people can enjoy this classic Christmas dessert. The images on this page show my vegan gingerbread loaf with sparkling sugar. So tender and delicious.
- Make a Gluten-Free Gingerbread Loaf. Replace regular all-purpose flour with Bob’s Redmill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour 1:1, plus 2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum. Additionally, check every ingredient to make sure there is no gluten in any of them.
Expert Tip: In the morning, enjoy a thick slice of gingerbread loaf for breakfast. In the afternoon enjoy gingerbread with coffee or tea. After dinner, enjoy half slices for dessert.
🛒 Ingredients
Holiday baking isn’t complete without gingerbread. These are the ingredients you’ll need for a delicious tender loaf!
Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf
- Large Eggs: Act as a binding agent, to keep the batter together and provide structure.
- Sweetened Applesauce: Adds delicious moisture and sweetness.
- Molasses: Contributes sweetness, moisture and a traditional molasses flavor.
- Butter: Provides richness, a buttery flavor, and contributes to the texture.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the recipe, and contributes a delicious bakery aroma.
- Light Brown Sugar: Contributes moisture and sweetness with a slight caramel flavor. If you don’t have it on hand, feel free to use dark brown sugar instead.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides strength and structure. Feel free to use pastry flour, or whole-wheat pastry flour. Both options are soft flours that will help yield a tender loaf. In a pinch, use white whole wheat flour.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth of flavor.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the loaf rise.
- Baking Soda: Another leavening agent that reacts with the acid in applesauce for additional rising.
- Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Ground Ginger: The star flavor of this recipe, it provides a distinctive ginger taste.
- Ground Nutmeg: Enhances the overall spice profile with a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.
- Ground Cloves: Adds a spicy and aromatic element to the gingerbread.
- Milk (whole or 2% low-fat): Adds moisture and helps create a tender crumb.
- Frosting (optional): A vanilla-orange icing recipe is included in this post.
🍊Starbucks Vanilla-Orange Icing (optional)
Starbucks gingerbread loaf is crowned with luscious vanilla-orange icing. If you’d like a frosted loaf like that, we can make it happen. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the icing.
- Butter: Adds richness and a smooth, creamy texture to the icing.
- Powdered Sugar: Provides sweetness and contributes to the icing’s texture.
- Orange Juice and Zest: Add a bright citrusy flavor to the icing.
- Orange Extract: Intensifies the orange flavor without adding extra liquid.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor with a sweet and aromatic vanilla note.
- Orange Food Coloring (optional): If a very light tint of orange is desired.
Vegan Gingerbread Loaf
- Milled flaxseed (ground flaxseed/flaxseed meal): Blooming flax seeds in warm water is a vegan egg replacement. It adds moisture that helps bind the loaf together so it’s not too crumbly. If desired, substitute with a store-bought vegan egg replacement.
- Warm Water: We use it to bloom the flax seeds.
- Mashed Ripe Bananas: In a pinch, use canned pumpkin puree plus more sugar to taste, as pumpkin lacks sweetness.
- Molasses: Contributes sweetness, moisture and a traditional molasses flavor.
- Vegetable Oil: Provides moisture and richness, and contributes to a tender texture.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor and aroma.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture to the gingerbread loaf.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the batter with strength and structure.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth of flavor.
- Baking Powder: A leavening agent that helps the loaf rise.
- Baking Soda: Another leavening agent for additional rising.
- Kosher Salt: Brightens the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Ground Ginger: The star flavor of this recipe, it provides a distinctive ginger taste.
- Ground Nutmeg: Adds a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.
- Ground Cloves: Adds a rustic element to the gingerbread loaf.
- Almond Milk: Replace with soy milk, oat milk, or rice milk.
- Garnish: Coarse white sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar
📖 Recipe Steps
Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 x 5 (1.25 pound) metal loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the pan with a slightly oversized piece of parchment paper (to create “handles” for lifting the bread from the pan). Lightly grease the parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs well. Add sweetened applesauce, molasses, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine. Add light brown sugar. Mix to incorporate.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together: flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger nutmeg, and cloves.
- Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix slowly. Add milk and stir slowly to combine. Add remaining dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined. Do not over-mix!
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. (In humid environments, the loaf may need to bake 10 an additional 10 minutes.) Let it cool in the pan 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper sling to lift the gingerbread loaf from the pan. Transfer it to a metal cooling rack. Let it shed heat until it’s barely warm.
🍊Starbucks Vanilla-Orange Frosting (optional)
Expert Tip: If your powdered sugar has lumps, sift it through a fine-mesh sieve. This will help eliminate clumps in the frosting.
- Add softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large mixing bowl and an electric mixer). Beat until it’s light, fluffy, and smooth.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar, orange juice, orange extract, and vanilla extract. Raise speed to medium. As needed, scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- If desired, add 2 short drops of orange food coloring. Beat on low for 10 seconds. Raise the speed. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy, and reaches frosting consistency.
Vegan Gingerbread Loaf
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 x 5 (1.25 pound) metal loaf pan with a vegan non-stick cooking spray. Line the pan with a slightly oversized piece of parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper with vegan cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flax seeds and warm water. Set the bowl aside for 5 minutes, or until mixture has developed a gel-like consistency. This is how to make a “flax egg replacer.”
- Once the flax mixture is ready, add in applesauce (or ripe mashed bananas), molasses, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Mix well to combine. Add in the light brown sugar. Mix until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together: flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix slowly. Add almond milk, followed by the last half of the dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined. Do not over-mix!
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. (In humid environments, the loaf may need to bake 10 an additional 10 minutes.) Let it cool in the pan 10 minutes.
🥣 Expert Tips
Here’s how to ensure your gingerbread loaf turns out perfect.
- Use Quality Ingredients. Use high-quality molasses and spices for the best flavor. Dark molasses often yields a richer taste. If possible, use freshly-ground spices. This enhances the flavor of the gingerbread loaf.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients. Ensure the ingredients like eggs, butter and milk are at room temperature. This helps with better incorporation into the batter.
- Molasses Measuring Tip: When measuring molasses, coat the measuring cup with a bit of non-stick spray. This will make it easier to pour out the thick molasses.
- Proper Mixing Technique: Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them. This ensures even distribution of ingredients and prevents overmixing.
- Use the Right Pan. I recommend using a 9 X 5-inch (USA Pan brand) metal loaf pan, or an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. The light-colored aluminized steel produces a light tender crust with a beautiful rise. Darker loaf pans absorb more heat. They produce an unfavorable, thick dark crust. Glass bakeware delivers uneven baking.
- Invest in an Oven Thermometer. This will ensure your oven is at the correct temperature. Baking at the right temperature is crucial for a perfect gingerbread loaf.
- Baking Time Awareness: Keep a close eye on the gingerbread as it bakes. Baking times can vary depending on the temperature accuracy of your oven. So start checking for doneness a few minutes before the recipe suggests.
- Cooling Technique. Allow the gingerbread to cool in the pan for about 10 to 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. This helps prevent the loaf from breaking apart.
🧑🏼🍳 Recipe FAQ
These are the most commonly-asked questions when making this gingerbread loaf, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
Yes, you can use a gluten-free flour blend in place of regular flour. Be sure to add xanthan gum in your blend doesn’t include it.
While you can use substitutes like honey or maple syrup, keep in mind that molasses contributes to the unique flavor and color of gingerbread. If you substitute, the taste and appearance may be slightly different.
Yes, gingerbread tends to develop a richer flavor over time. You can bake the loaf a day in advance and store it in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for longer storage.
If your gingerbread turns out dry, try brushing the slices with a simple sugar syrup before serving. This will add moisture and enhance the flavor.
Yes, you can use fresh ginger. Grate it very finely and use about 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger for every teaspoon of ground ginger in the recipe.
Absolutely, Chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, and raisins can be great additions. Toss them in a bit of flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
Use a toothpick or cake tester. Insert it into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), it’s done.
Cool the loaf completely so it won’t easily tear during slicing. Then, for the cleanest slicing, use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion. Making the very first slice in the middle of the loaf.
🎅🏻 More Christmas Treats
For a season packed with holiday flavor, make these easy Christmas desserts. They add festive cheer and are perfect for sharing.
- Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Sugared Cranberry Cupcakes
- Gingersnap Cookies
- Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Linzer Sugar Cookies
- Christmas Tree Cupcakes
- Christmas Hot Cocoa Bombs
- Christmas Shortbread Cookies
Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Friends and family say this easy recipe delivers the best gingerbread loaf. They love the versatility of this Christmas dessert. The ability to make it 2 ways: as a vegan gingerbread loaf or a Starbucks copycat.
If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with a friend. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.
Gingerbread Loaf
- Total Time: 55 Minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
Description
This gingerbread loaf is sweet and tender with delicious holiday flavor. Make it as a (copycat) Starbucks gingerbread loaf with or without vanilla-orange frosting, or as a vegan loaf crowned with sparkling sugar.
Ingredients
Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sweetened applesauce (or mashed ripe banana)
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt or sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2/3 cup milk (whole or 2% low-fat)
- Garnish: Vanilla-orange frosting (below)
Starbucks Vanilla-Orange Frosting
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 3/4 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (finely-grated) orange zest
- Orange food coloring, if desired
For a Vegan Gingerbread Loaf (recipe variation)
- 2 tablespoons milled flaxseed (ground flaxseed/flaxseed meal)
- 1/3 cup warm water (100°F)
- 1/2 cup sweetened applesauce, or ripe bananas (smashed)
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt or sea salt)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- Garnish: Coarse white sparkling sugar
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 x 5 (1.25 pound) metal loaf pan with non-stick baking spray. Line the pan with a slightly oversized piece of parchment paper (to create “handles” for lifting the bread from the pan). Lightly grease the parchment paper with baking spray.
Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs well. Add sweetened applesauce, molasses, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine. Add light brown sugar. Mix to incorporate.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger nutmeg, and cloves.
- Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix slowly. Add milk and stir slowly to combine. Add remaining dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined. Do not over-mix!
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. (In humid environments, the loaf may need to bake an additional 10 minutes.) Let it cool in the pan 10 minutes. Use parchment paper sling to lift the gingerbread loaf from the pan. Transfer it to a metal cooling rack. Let it cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting.
Starbucks Vanilla-Orange Frosting
- Add softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large mixing bowl and an electric mixer). Beat until it’s light, fluffy, and smooth.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar, orange juice, orange extract, and vanilla extract. Raise speed to medium. As needed, scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- If desired, add 2 short drops of orange food coloring. Beat on low for 10 seconds.
- Raise the speed. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy, and reaches frosting consistency.
For a Vegan Gingerbread Loaf (recipe variation)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flax seeds and warm water. Set the bowl aside for 5 minutes, or until mixture has developed a gel-like consistency. This is how to make a “flax egg replacer.”
- Once the flax mixture is ready, add in applesauce (or smashed bananas), molasses, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well to combine. Add in the light brown sugar. Mix until fully incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix slowly. Add almond milk, followed by the last half of the dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined. Do not over-mix!
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan 10 minutes. Use parchment paper sling to lift gingerbread loaf from pan. Cool on a wire rack until barely warm.
Notes
About salt: The conversion between table salt (or sea salt) and kosher salt can vary slightly due to differences in crystal size. As a general rule, you can use 1.5 to 2 times the amount of kosher salt in place of table salt or sea salt. Keep in mind, kosher salt has larger flakes, so it’s less dense than table salt or sea salt.
How to make this recipe gluten free: Replace regular all-purpose flour with Bob’s Redmill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour 1:1, plus 2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum. Additionally, always check every ingredient to make double sure there is no gluten present in any of them.
Best substitute for white (coarse) sparkling sugar: Turbinado sugar.
Tips for slicing the loaf: Cool the loaf completely so it won’t easily tear during slicing. Then, for the cleanest slicing, use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion. Making the very first slice in the middle of the loaf.
How to store your gingerbread loaf: Cool the loaf completely. Wrap the entire loaf in plastic wrap, or individually wrap slices in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place the wrapped slices in a zip-top freezer bag or an air-tight container with snap-on lid. Store in the fridge up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Gingerbread Loaf 👉🏻 Join the Convo
Did you enjoy this easy gingerbread recipe? Did you make your loaf vegan or non-vegan? Join the conversation. Share your thoughts in the comments!
Delish!!!
Lovely recipe! My family will surely love this! Thanks for sharing!
You can’t beat freshly-baked for taste and smell. I love that this gingerbread loaf was made with bananas! It was so delicious.
This is the best loaf to have with breakfast this time of year, so deliciously spiced and tasty!
Moist, delicious and made my kitchen smell like Christmas!
That Gingerbread looks delicious. I do love it slathered in vegan butter.