Gingerbread Loaf
This easy gingerbread loaf combines the classic taste of gingerbread cookies inside a soft and moist home baked bread. Perfect for holiday snacking or gifting!
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Table of Contents
About Gingerbread Loaf
Nothing says the holidays quite like gingerbread, and we’ve been enjoying this gingerbread loaf for the past few years. I’m excited that I (finally) got my act together this year to document the magic and share it with you.
This recipe has all the ginger “spiciness” of gingerbread cookies, just without all the hassle of rolling out dough and cutting cookies. Plus, it’s all wrapped up in a soft and moist bread.
Is this a copycat recipe of Starbuck’s gingerbread loaf?
While I didn’t intend for this recipe to be a copycat, the taste of it is very similar to Starbuck’s gingerbread loaf.
This loaf brings a little more ginger to the name gingerbread, so if you’d like a more subdued spiciness, change the ground ginger from one tablespoon to half a tablespoon.
How to store gingerbread loaf
When stored in a sealed container (or covered in plastic wrap), this bread should remain good for up to six days. And like most homemade breads, the flavor of this loaf will intensify after two days.
Can you freeze gingerbread loaf?
Yes, you totally can!
When properly stored, this gingerbread loaf will keep it’s “best” quality for about two or three months. After that point, the texture of the bread might change, but it will remain good for up to six months frozen.
Do you have to use buttermilk?
Don’t have any buttermilk? Or don’t want to buy it for one recipe? No problem!
To make 1 cup of buttermilk:
- Add one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup.
- Next, pour in milk, filling up to one full cup. Let the mixture sit for at least five minutes or until the mixture begins to curdle.
- Give the mixture a whisk to fully incorporate, then use in a recipe as directed.
Notes & tips for this gingerbread loaf recipe
- Make sure your bread pan is nice and deep OR make sure that you leave at least one-inch of headspace between the level of the batter and the top of the pan. Many of the fun, decorate bread pans out there aren’t as deep as they should be and could cause this bread to pour over the top while baking.
More great bread recipes
How do you make gingerbread loaf?
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt, then set the bowl nearby.
Step 2 – Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip up the sugar until nice and creamy.
Step 3 – Set your mixer speed to low, then add in the molasses, eggs, and vanilla.
Step 4 – Keeping your mixer on, slowly add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the bowl. Add a bit of each, alternating between each addition (dry ingredients, then buttermilk, then dry, etc). Mix until ingredients are just combined.
Step 5 – Spray a 9×5 bread loaf pan with cooking spray, then pour in the batter.
Step 6 – Bake!
Step 7 – Slice and enjoy!
Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×5 bread loaf pan by generously spraying the bottom and sides with cooking spray, then set pan aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, cloves, and salt. Set bowl aside.
- Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer + large bowl), whip together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Drop mixer speed to low and add molasses, eggs, vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are just blended, particularly the egg yolks, about 1-2 minutes.
- Keeping mixer speed on low, slowly blend in dry ingredients, about 1/2 cup at a time. Alternate by adding buttermilk to the mixer in between; buttermilk, then, dry, then buttermilk, etc. Mix until dry ingredients incorporate and there are minimal clumps, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the top.
- Bake bread for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out clean with no crumbs.
- Allow bread to cool in the pan for 15-25 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Serve bread once cooled. Bread can be stored in a sealed container (or tightly covered) for up to 6 days. As with most moist breads, flavor is intensified by day 2.
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
