Moist Spiced Gingerbread Loaf (Printable version)
Moist and spiced gingerbread loaf topped with smooth vanilla frosting, perfect for festive occasions.
# What you need:
→ Gingerbread
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 2/3 cup unsulphured molasses
12 - 2/3 cup whole milk
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Frosting
14 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
16 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
18 - 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, as needed for consistency
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
04 - Mix in molasses and vanilla extract until well combined.
05 - Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to the wet mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Stir until just combined; avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Add milk gradually to reach spreadable consistency.
08 - Once loaf is fully cooled, spread frosting evenly on top. Slice and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like someone who actually knows their way around a kitchen made it, but honestly, it's forgiving and simple.
- The molasses gives you this deep, almost caramel-like flavor that feels luxurious without any fuss.
- It keeps for days, staying moist and tender—perfect for sneaking a slice before anyone else notices.
- The vanilla frosting is just creamy enough to cut through the spices without overpowering them.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter is the fastest way to a dense, tough loaf—mix only until you don't see dry flour, then stop.
- Room-temperature ingredients make a dramatic difference; cold eggs and butter won't blend smoothly, and you'll see streaks in the final batter.
- The frosting needs a completely cooled loaf or it will melt and slide off—I learned this the hard way and had to start over.
- Sifting the powdered sugar removes lumps that will otherwise show up as gritty spots in your frosting.
03 -
- If your butter and cream cheese aren't soft enough, the frosting will be lumpy and impossible to spread smoothly—take the extra minute to let them come to true room temperature.
- The alternating wet and dry method is worth following exactly because it prevents both overmixing and dry pockets in the finished loaf.