Soft, moist, and intensely flavored gingerbread loaf tastes just like the holidays! Made with molasses and ginger and drizzled with orange glaze, you’ll welcome a slice any time of day.
Today’s wonderfully spiced gingerbread loaf is breakfast, snack, and dessert all rolled into one. Orange icing and all. You can make the loaf as muffins (see my notes!) or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. Have a slice with coffee in the afternoon or top with homemade whipped cream and fresh cranberries. The possibilities are endless and if you have a few minutes to spare, you can whip up this gingerbread batter. Let’s do this!
Why You’ll Love This Gingerbread Loaf
One of the many things I love about this recipe is the smell as it bakes—your home will smell completely divine as guests come and go, not to mention put you in a completely festive holiday state of mind. If you need even more convincing to give gingerbread loaf a try… it’s:
- Deeply spiced and moist
- Has rich, dark molasses flavor
- Not overly sweet
- Easy to make
- Perfect any time of day
- Adaptable into muffins or cupcakes (or try my gingerbread muffins)
- Delicious with or without the icing
- Always impressive!
Ingredients in Spiced Gingerbread Loaf
We use pretty standard ingredients to make gingerbread loaf. They’re all pantry basics that you likely already have on hand.
- Flour: This is a dense, moist cake so we need sturdy all-purpose flour as the base.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps it rise.
- Salt & Spices: This loaf is a deeply spiced gingerbread. There’s plenty of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The three spices I use the most this time of year! Also: I add black pepper. I love it so much in my pumpkin pie, I figured why not in gingerbread too. There’s not much—only 1/8 teaspoon—but just enough to make this a super spiced gingerbread, unlike any others I’ve ever tried.
- Molasses: A gingerbread essential. There are varying intensities of molasses on store shelves from lighter molasses to blackstrap molasses. Just like in my gingerbread oatmeal cookies, you want a dark molasses, also sold as “robust” molasses. A few brands I favor: Grandma’s Robust Molasses, Grandma’s Unsulphured Molasses, or Wholesome!’s Organic Molasses (this stuff is potent and delicious—it’s what I used in the pictured loaf and why the loaf looks so dark.) I do not recommend using blackstrap molasses.
- Water: We use hot water to thin out the molasses and provide some liquid for the gingerbread batter.
- Butter: Adds flavor and moisture. Make sure it’s properly softened to room temperature before beginning.
- Brown Sugar: We use brown sugar (light or dark) for extra molasses flavor and moisture.
- Egg: One egg binds everything together.
- Vanilla Extract: A must! Vanilla pairs wonderfully with all of the spices and flavors we have going on. Try using homemade vanilla extract.
Son of a nutcracker! This gingerbread is dark!
How to Make Gingerbread Loaf
- Mix the dry ingredients together.
- Whisk the molasses and hot water together.
- Cream the remaining wet ingredients together. (Butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.)
- Add the dry ingredients and molasses/water mixture. In three additions, add the dry ingredients alternating with the molasses/water mixture. Mix each addition just until incorporated. The batter will be thin.
- Bake.
- Make the orange icing. Drizzle over cooled loaf.
Orange Icing
I made a simple and quick orange icing for drizzling on top of the soft and spicy gingerbread. You can certainly use vanilla icing instead, but I highly suggest the citrus! It’s a light and fragrant contrast to the richer, more intense flavors in the gingerbread. It’s just 2 ingredients: orange juice and confectioners’ sugar. You’ve got both on hand, so why not pour on top? You won’t regret this.
Top with cranberries for color. You can even use sugared cranberries like I did in my pumpkin pie recipe!
More Gingerbread Recipes
- Gingerbread Muffins
- Gingerbread Cake
- Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread Cake
- Chocolate Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Homemade Gingerbread House
- Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Gingerbread Waffles
Spiced Gingerbread Loaf
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Spiced Gingerbread Loaf is full of robust molasses flavor, cinnamon, cloves, and topped with orange icing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2/3 cup (160ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) hot water (about 100°F (38°C))
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Orange Icing
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2–3 Tablespoons (30-45ml) orange juice
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper together until combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl or dish, whisk the molasses and hot water together.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed for 1 minute until creamed together fairly well. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. On medium-high speed, beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the hot water/molasses and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing. Batter will be thin. Whisk out any big lumps.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for around 50-60 minutes or until the gingerbread loaf is baked through. All ovens are different and your loaf could take a little more or less time. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the gingerbread loaf. If it comes out clean with only a couple moist (not wet) crumbs, it is done. Allow to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before removing from pan.
- Make the icing: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice together. Drizzle over cooled loaf.
- Leftover loaf keeps well covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor gets even better after a day or two!
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The loaf can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Loaf can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Muffins or Cupcakes: Simply pour batter into muffin liners or a greased muffin pan. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-22 minutes. Makes about 10-12.
Hi, I was wondering if there was a something I could use instead of molasses?
I just made this recipe this morning. I doubled the recipe and made a bundt cake and had enough batter for three-four cupcakes…It worked just great and is delicious…going to make it for a Christmas dinner and add some candied cranberries and sugared rosemary sprigs to make it look festive for Christmas. Thanks, Sally! You’re the best!
Absolutely amazing. Thanks for add the amounts in grams.. Much easier
Can you substitute heated orange juice for the water?
Hi Sandra, we haven’t tested it, but our recommendation is—if you want the orange flavor—only substitute some of the hot water. We wouldn’t use a full 3/4 cup of orange juice.
I want to make this for my boss for Christmas because she can’t eat the cookies I bake for everyone. In your notes you say it needs a sturdy all purpose flour. Would King Arthur’s one-to-one gluten-free flour be “sturdy?”
Hi Joanna, we haven’t tested this recipe any gluten-free flour blends, so we’re unsure of the exact results. Let us know if you do give it a try. And if you’re interested, here are all of our gluten free recipes for browsing. Hope you find one to enjoy!
What if I only have black strap molasses ? Can I still use it?
Hi Francesca, blackstrap molasses has a very dark, bitter taste that usually isn’t preferred in baked goods. However, if you like it, you can feel free to use it here. Hope you enjoy the loaf!
Delicious! It was moist and had a nice texture. I’ll definitely make it again (and maybe add a little bit more of the cloves and some nutmeg).
This is perfect. I halved the recipe (I’m the only one in my house that likes gingerbread) but left the cloves at 1/4 tsp. I live in Denver and can attest this is light and fluffy at higher altitude as written. Thank you!
I absolutely love this gingerbread!! My first time ever making gingerbread.
I’m thinking about adding a cup on dark chocolate chips. Your thoughts?
Yum! Absolutely. You can add 3/4 cup to 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter.
What are your thoughts on substituting sorghum for the molasses? I have two full jars of sorghum and am looking for ways to use it! Can’t wait to try the recipe, as is or with sorghum!
Hi Ami, we haven’t tried that, but let us know how it turns out if you do!
I’m wondering if chopped candied ginger could be added? I love a certain coffee company’s gingerbread loaf and it has since real ginger in it.
Hi Wendy, You can certainly try those add-ins! We recommend keeping the total amount of add-ins to about 2/3 cup. Let us know how it turns out!
I am going to make this gingerbread as muffins. Does the icing harden? Can I dip the muffin tops in the icing or should I spread it with a spatula? How much batter should I put in the muffing liner? 2/3 or 1/2? Thank you!
Hi Cathy! See recipe Notes for muffin instructions. Or, here’s our gingerbread muffins recipe as well.
I made your orange cranberry break a couple weeks ago and it was great! I loved it. I’m looking forward to making it again, but really wanted to try this spiced gingerbread one too. So here I go! I’m trying to use healthier ingredients — so would oil be OK to use? I was thinking olive oil or coconut oil.
Hi Jameson, because the base of this recipe is room-temperature butter creamed together with sugar, oil isn’t going to be a good substitute. Solid coconut oil would be the closest sub, but other than that, we recommend sticking with softened butter.
I would love to make this but in mini loaves. Would you know how much per loaf pan and how long to bake? Thank you
Hi Michele! The mini loaf baking time varies between pans (they are all different sizes these days!) but generally 22-25 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Hi Sally I am wondering if this recipe could be baked in an 8” square dish? Thanks
Definitely! We’re unsure of the best bake time.
Hi Sally! Love your recipes and am looking forward to making this. Can I use this loaf to make bread pudding? Want to try something different for Christmas.
Hi Steph, I’m so glad to read that you love my recipes. This is a quick bread, and would make a very dense bread pudding. Typically, yeast-raised breads are used for bread pudding (but not always!). Just expect a rich, and denser bread pudding.
Can you freeze with the the orange glaze?
Hi Leslie, the glaze may get a bit messy during the thawing process, but if you don’t mind the looks, then you can certainly freeze with the glaze. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi there! I’m just about to make this recipe but I have a substitution question. Could I use oil instead of butter? I’m excited to make this- all your recipes are wonderful and not one has failed me! Thank you!
Hi Lynette! Because the base of this recipe is room temperature butter creamed together with sugar, oil isn’t going to be a good substitute. Solid coconut oil could replace the butter – but other than that, we recommend sticking with softened butter.
Hi Sally, how do you think the addition of a little cardamom would fare here? Do you think it would complement the existing spice profile?
Hi Shannon, we haven’t tried it here, but you absolutely could! We’d start small (1/4 teaspoon or so) and then adjust more/less for future batches, based on your personal taste preferences. Let us know if you try it!
This is, by far, the best gingerbread We have ever had!!! We love spicy foods snd this is very highly spiced. That said, I made applesauce on Monday and the applesauce is crying for a taste!!
Hi Sally !
I plan to make this delish Gingerbread again as soon as I hear back from you. What would I hi Sally! What changes will I need Tom implement in order to bake this in my Bundt pan? Also, to have the molasses flavor a tad less strong, what do you suggest in the way of decreasing the
Molasses?can I bake this I in A Bun
Hi Nancy, We haven’t tested this in a Bundt pan, but we can’t see why it wouldn’t work. It might be better to make the batter twice instead of doubling, then combining them for the Bundt pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time but you can use a toothpick to test for doneness. Same oven temperature. Or, you might enjoy this chocolate gingerbread Bundt cake instead. You can try reducing the molasses if you wish.
love this recipe!
Really liked the recipe, I just didn’t add the pepper and used water and coconut sugar instead of brown sugar and decreased the temp by 25* and baked it for 45 minutes and then left it in the oven for five minutes.
Can this be made in a glass loaf pan?
Hi Debbie, absolutely. Bake time may be just a few minutes longer.
Best thing I have baked in awhile. Huge fan of this sight. By the way I subbed hot water with hot orange juice concentrate …amazing
Made this last weekend and making it again today as a layer cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Absolutely stunning recipe!
Making this lovely loaf again. Directions are easy to follow and it’s perfect! Big hit with all. These ingredients are amazing and such good flavor!
Love it! It’s become a morning staple for well over a month, now. I bake it every week for hubby and me, and indeed, it does get better every day (as long as it lasts.) Thank you for posting this.
I made this tonight and I thought “this taste is like a hug”. It’s so delicious!
BTW, how long can I freeze orange zest?
Hi Mary, we’re so glad you enjoyed this gingerbread loaf! Orange zest should stay well in the freezer for about 3 months.