Gingerbread Loaf Cake is perfectly moist, soft, and spiced. Enjoy all the tastes of the holidays like molasses, cinnamon, and ginger in one bread loaf.
Whether it’s Ginger Cookies or Classic Gingerbread Cake, nothing says “holiday baking” like warm spiced ginger Dessert Recipes. This easy Gingerbread Loaf is perfect for breakfast or dessert!
GINGERBREAD LOAF CAKE
One of the many amazing things about quick breads like this recipe or Banana Bread is that they fill your house with their amazing smell while they bake. This is especially wonderful with spiced gingerbread because it has wonderful ingredients like molasses, ginger, brown sugar, and cloves. It will feel like your living in a gingerbread house with all the delicious aroma filling the air!
It smells so good, it’s hard not to eat the Gingerbread Cake right when you take it out of the oven. In fact, waiting for it to cool down is probably the hardest part of making this Gingerbread Loaf.
This delicious Gingerbread Cake Loaf makes the perfect breakfast, dessert, or on-the-go snack. You can decorate the gingerbread with powdered sugar and other toppings to make it an elegant dessert for your holiday guests. It’s equally as wonderful to leave the gingerbread as is for a more casual holiday treat. You can keep the loaf around your house for a quick breakfast or snack with a cup of coffee that’s sure to put you in the holiday spirit.
HOW TO FREEZE GINGERBREAD CAKE
If you can’t get enough of this Gingerbread (we don’t blame you), try making a double batch. You can bake the Gingerbread in two loaf pans. Once the loaves have baked you can enjoy one right away and save the other for later.
Remove the bread from the loaf pan, and let it cool completely before storing it. To keep it fresh wrap the gingerbread in plastic wrap or put it in a freezer bag. Make sure you get as much air out as possible. The Gingerbread Cake will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you make it for the holidays, it will still be good past the holiday season and into the New Year!
MORE GINGERBREAD RECIPES
Molasses Cookies
Award Winning Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Gingerbread Cheesecake
Classic Gingerbread Cake
TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT GINGERBREAD
- Make sure to prepare your loaf pan with baking spray or butter so the batter doesn’t stick to it while baking.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar. You’ll know you’re done with this step when the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Next mix the molasses and eggs in with the butter and sugar. Because of the molasses, the batter will be slightly grainy. Don’t worry! It’s supposed to look like that.
- Bring together the dry ingredients slowly. Instead of dumping them all into a bowl, carefully sift together the wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the rest of the batter. You also need to go slow on this part. Add some of the buttermilk, then some of the dry ingredients to the stand mixer. Keep alternating until the ingredients are all in. Keep the stand mixer on its lowest speed, and be careful not to overmix.
- Add your batter to the prepared pan then sprinkle coarse sugar over the top. The baking time is 50 minutes. After that, put a toothpick in the center to check if the bread is done. If the toothpick comes out clean take the bread out of the oven, and let it cool on a wire rack.
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VARIATIONS ON GINGERBREAD LOAF CAKE
- Easy Ingredient swaps: You can always change up the Gingerbread Cake recipe based on the ingredients you have or any dietary restrictions. You can swap out the 2 eggs with ½ cup applesauce. You can also exchange the flour for gluten-free flour options like oat flour. Another easy exchange is using maple syrup if you don’t have molasses.
- Cream Cheese Topping: To make this Gingerbread Cake recipe more dessert-like, you can top it with a cream cheese frosting. To make the frosting combine ½ cup of softened butter, 8 ounces, cream cheese, 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Spread the frosting over the bread after it’s cooled to room temperature. To make it even more like a cake try baking the loaf cake in a bundt pan instead of a loaf pan.
- Other Toppings: There are plenty of other toppings you can use besides cream cheese frosting the next time you make this gingerbread recipe. You can add a light glaze or caramel sauce over the top. For an even easier option just sprinkle some powdered sugar over the loaf. Top it with cranberries, cherries or other fresh fruit.
- Gingerbread Cupcakes: For a sweet holiday treat that’s great for a kids party make gingerbread cupcakes. Just prepare the batter as usual then separate it into a prepared muffin tin. Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, top them with cream cheese frosting, and enjoy!
MORE HOLIDAY RECIPES
Fruit Cake
Classic Peanut Brittle
Oreo Peppermint Bark Bread
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Pretzels
HOW TO STORE GINGERBREAD LOAF CAKE
- Serve: To keep your Gingerbread Loaf at room temperature cover it in plastic wrap. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
- Store: Once cooled, you can keep Gingerbread Loaf sealed in the fridge for up to a week in the fridge.
- Freeze: Keep this Gingerbread Loaf recipe in the freezer for up 3 months.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar , packed
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon coarse sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x5 baking pan with baking spray.
- In your stand mixer cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add in the molasses and eggs until well blended (molasses will make mixture grainy, don't worry about this).
- Sift together whole wheat flour, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, alternating half and half to the stand mixture on the lowest speed until just combined.
- Add the mixture to your loaf pan and spread evenly, then sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Nutrition
I’m going to try this one tomorrow.
Gingerbread loaf is notorious for sinking in the center but yours looks perfect!
I noticed that you used half whole wheat flour. Does that provide more structure for the batter as it’s rising in the oven? Love the idea of sprinkling the coarse sanding sugar on top. We usually serve ours with whipped cream and drizzled in bourbon sauce.
Yes, the whole wheat flour gives it a bit more body. I am a sucker for the coarse sanding sugar look, this bread is one we make every year. I hope you love it, the bourbon sauce sounds great!
This is so good! I love spreading a little bit of cream cheese on it, nom nom nom.
Yes!! Love it!
Wow this gingerbread loaf cake looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it out!
Enjoy!
This looks like something I’d love. Can’t wait to try it!
Enjoy!
This looks amazing! You mention that oat flour can be used. Am I able to fully swap out for flour? and I assume its by weight? I bake with oat flour a lot actually, but it would be great if you ever tried it and can provide me with tips. Often I add an extra egg to bind things. Any tips?
I did mention it in the variation but I haven’t tested it in my own kitchen to know whether any additional egg would be need. You are correct that you can substitute oat flour by weight though. I’d love to know what worked if you decide to try. Thanks.