This easy Gingerbread Loaf is packed with spices, moist, delicious and perfect for Christmas or any time of the year! This all-in-one gingerbread tastes even more delicious the longer you keep it. Add a simple glaze or go all out with frosting!
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As someone fairly obsessed with ALL THINGS GINGERBREAD, I can’t believe I didn’t have a gingerbread loaf recipe on this site!
This easy loaf cake is perfect for when you are in festive mood… or really any time you fancy a sweet snack!
There’s nothing like the wonderful spices in gingerbread to get me in a “We wish you a Merry Christmas” frame of mind.
Did you know that in France it is called Pain D’ Epices which literally translates as Spice Bread?
Basically this is gingerbread cookies in cake form (or is it the other way around?) and both recipes use similar ingredients.
- Dark Molasses a.k.a Treacle – adds tons of complex flavour to your gingerbread and keeps it moist.
- Golden Syrup – I prefer to use a mix of Golden Syrup and treacle in my gingerbread loaf. Substitute with Light Molasses if needed or simply use 100% treacle.
- Soft dark brown sugar – preferably Dark Muscovado Sugar
- Butter or you can use a baking spread such as Stork
- Spices: Ground ginger, ginger, allspice and cloves
- Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), make sure it is fresh!
- Milk and orange juice
- eggs
- Flour: Plain (all-purpose) flour
- Icing sugar, orange juice, rum (optional!) for the glaze
I used a Nordicware Heritage Cast Loaf Pan (6 cup capacity) in the photos but you can use a plain loaf tin ( 2 lb) of course. Whatever you do, don’t overfill your loaf pan!
HOW TO MAKE GINGERBREAD LOAF
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and spray your loaf tin with cake release or use a loaf liner.
STEP 2 Put the treacle, golden syrup, sugar, butter, orange juice and spices in a large bowl. Heat in the microwave until the butter has melted. Alternatively put in a saucepan and melt over low heat on the stove. Stir together until smooth.
STEP 3 Add the bicarbonate of soda and stir it in. Now stir in the milk and eggs until everything is mixed in.
STEP 4 Add the flour, ideally sifting it in so you don’t get lumps. Mix well until you have a smooth and fairly thin batter.
STEP 5 Transfer the batter to the prepared tin, filling 2/3 of the way and no more. If you use the Nordicware Pan you will have some batter leftover which you can bake in muffin tins.
STEP 6 Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or 50 minutes – 1 hour if you use a bigger 2 LB loaf pan. The cake should be risen, springy to the touch and a skewer interred in centre should come out clean.
STEP 7 Carefully turn out of the tin onto a wire rack to cool. You can serve it straight away simply dusted with icing sugar if you like. To make a glaze, mix the icing sugar with just enough orange juice and rum until you have a pourable glaze. Drizzle this over the gingerbread and serve!
The gingerbread loaf only gets tastier the longer you keep it! It is the PERFECT festive hostess gift, simply wrap and add a bow 🙂 Keep it stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
CRAZY FOR GINGERBREAD!
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
HAVE YOU MADE MY GINGERBREAD LOAF RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
- 225 g (1 cup) soft dark brown sugar
- 115 g (⅔ cup) black treacle or use molasses
- 2 tbsp golden syrup or light molasses
- 225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter cubed
- 60 ml (¼ cup) fresh orange juice
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda baking soda
- 180 ml (¾ cup) milk
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 360 g (2 cups + ¼ cup) flour plain / all purpose flour
For the glaze
- 150 g (1 cup) icing sugar powdered / confectioners
- 2 tbsp orange juice or water
- 2 tbsp spiced rum optional – replace with water
- handful star anise to decorate optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Spray your cake tin with cake release or use a loaf liner.
- Put the sugar, treacle, golden syrup, butter, orange juice and spices in a large bowl. Heat in the microwave until the butter has melted. Alternatively put in a saucepan and melt over low heat on the stove. Stir together until smooth.
- Add the bicarbonate of soda and stir it in. Now stir in the milk and eggs until everything is mixed in.
- Add the flour, ideally sifting it in so you don’t get lumps. Mix well until you have a smooth and fairly thin batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared tin, filling 2/3 of the way and no more. If you use the Nordicware Pan you will have some batter leftover which you can bake in muffin tins. Bake for 40-45 minutes or 50 m- 1 hour if you use a bigger 2 LB loaf pan. The cake should be risen, springy to the touch and a skewer interred in centre should come out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully turn out of the tin onto a wire rack to cool.
- You can serve it straight away simply dusted with icing sugar if you like. To make a glaze, mix the icing sugar with just enough orange juice and rum until you have a pourable glaze. Drizzle this over the gingerbread and serve!
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