This gingerbread loaf is a soft, dark loaf cake made with molasses, brown sugar, buttermilk and a tablespoon of ground ginger, baked in a single 9×5 inch pan. It bakes at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes and gives 8 to 10 slices.
Molasses and buttermilk keep the crumb moist for days, and the spice leans warm rather than sharp. It is plainer than my layered gingerbread cake: one bowl of batter, one pan, a dusting of powdered sugar, and I like it best as a slightly warm slice with butter.
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- Pan: one 9×5 inch loaf pan, lined with parchment or well greased
- Oven: 350°F (175°C), 50 to 60 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf, 8 to 10 slices
- Time: 15 minutes prep, about 1 hour 15 minutes in total before cooling
- Spices: 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon each cloves and nutmeg
- Keeps: 3 days wrapped at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge
Molasses, Brown Sugar and the Spice Mix
Molasses gives this loaf its color, its moisture and most of its flavor. Use ½ cup of regular unsulphured molasses. Blackstrap molasses is a different product: much darker, less sweet and bitter, and it turns the loaf heavy and harsh. The card lets you use light or dark brown sugar. Dark gives a deeper, slightly bitter edge; light keeps it milder and lets the ginger come forward.
Ground ginger is the backbone, a full tablespoon of it. Cinnamon adds warmth, and the cloves and nutmeg stay at a quarter teaspoon each because more than that tastes medicinal. Open fresh jars if yours are more than a year old. Old spices are the main reason a gingerbread loaf tastes flat.
Softened butter gives the crumb its tenderness and a little caramel flavor. I have tried oil in place of butter, and the loaf came out heavier rather than soft, so butter stays. The same spice balance, rolled out crisp, is in my gingerbread man cookies.
Buttermilk or Milk with Vinegar
This loaf calls for ½ cup buttermilk. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda for lift and adds a light tang that keeps the molasses from tasting too sweet. In a pinch, stir 1 teaspoon of vinegar into ½ cup milk and let it stand for 5 minutes.
When I have used that substitute, the flavor came close but the crumb was slightly denser. It works. If you have the choice, buy the buttermilk.
Mixing the Batter in the Right Order
Heat the oven to 350°F and line the pan with parchment, leaving some overhang on the long sides. This loaf clings to corners, and I learned that the hard way. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices together. I sift them, because baking soda forms little lumps that leave bitter spots in the crumb.
Beat the soft butter and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy. That gives a fine, even crumb. Beat in the egg, then the molasses and vanilla. The mixture may look a little curdled at this point. That is normal.
Add the dry mix in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, on low speed and only until combined. Going back and forth keeps the batter smooth instead of split, and stopping early keeps the loaf tender. The baking soda starts working as soon as it meets the molasses and buttermilk, so scrape the thick batter into the pan, smooth the top and get it into the oven right away.
Baking and Cooling the Loaf
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Mine usually finishes around 55, but start checking at 50. A toothpick in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, never wet batter, and the top should spring back when pressed. If you have a thermometer, the middle reads about 200°F.
A crack down the center of the top is normal for a loaf cake; it is where the last of the batter rises. Molasses browns quickly, though, so if the top is already dark at 45 minutes, lay a sheet of foil loosely over it for the rest of the bake.
Leave the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack. Any longer and steam softens the sides. Let it cool before slicing. The first time I made this loaf, on a rainy November day, I cut into it warm and the slice broke apart in my hand. It still tasted wonderful, but a cooled loaf slices neatly.
Why a Gingerbread Loaf Sinks or Dries Out
- Sunken middle: usually underbaked, or the oven door opened in the first 30 minutes. Bake until the toothpick shows no wet batter.
- Dry, crumbly slices: baked too long or too much flour. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it, and start testing at 50 minutes.
- Bitter or very dark: blackstrap molasses or a lumpy baking soda. Use regular molasses and sift the dry ingredients.
- Burnt top, raw center: the oven runs hot. Check it with an oven thermometer and tent the loaf with foil.
- Dense and flat: the batter sat too long before baking, or the baking soda was old.
Serving, Gifting and Keeping It Fresh
Serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or slightly warm with a pat of butter melting into the crumb. For a party, an optional layer of cream cheese frosting adds tang against the spice. The flavor is stronger on day two, so it is a good loaf to bake ahead. For Christmas gifts, wrap the cooled loaf in parchment and tie it with string.
Wrap the loaf tightly or keep it in an airtight container. It stays soft for 3 days at room temperature and for up to a week in the fridge, though slices from the fridge taste best warmed a little. To freeze, separate slices with parchment, wrap them well and freeze for up to 3 months. A frozen slice goes straight into the toaster for a quick breakfast with coffee.
A Few Things Readers Ask
Is a ginger loaf the same as a gingerbread loaf?
They are close. A ginger loaf often leans on golden syrup and ginger alone, while a gingerbread loaf like this one uses molasses plus cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, so it is darker and more spiced.
Can I add fresh ginger?
Yes. Keep the tablespoon of ground ginger and add 1 tablespoon of finely grated fresh ginger with the molasses for a sharper bite.
Can I use an 8×4 inch pan?
Yes, but the loaf will be taller and needs longer, often 60 to 70 minutes. Tent it with foil once the top is dark.
Why is my gingerbread loaf dry?
It was most likely baked too long or had too much flour packed into the cup. Check it at 50 minutes and keep it wrapped once cool.
Pin this gingerbread loaf to your Christmas baking board so it is ready for December. For more of the same spice, try my gingerbread crinkle cookies, the gingerbread man cupcakes for a party, or chewy molasses cookies. Leave a comment if you try it, especially if you went with dark brown sugar.
Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
This gingerbread loaf is a moist loaf cake made with molasses, brown sugar, butter, buttermilk and ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It bakes in one 9x5 inch pan at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes and gives 8 to 10 soft, dark slices with a tender crumb and a lightly crisp top. Baking soda reacts with the molasses and buttermilk for the rise, so the batter goes into the oven right after mixing. Serve this gingerbread loaf cake plain with butter, dusted with powdered sugar, with coffee at breakfast, or wrapped as a Christmas gift. Use milk with vinegar if you have no buttermilk. It keeps for 3 days at room temperature and slices freeze for 3 months.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- ½ cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tsp vinegar as a substitute)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
- Butter for serving
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined.
- CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR: In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- ADD THE WET INGREDIENTS: Beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Then add the molasses and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and consistent.
- COMBINE WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS: Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.
- BAKE THE LOAF: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- COOL THE LOAF: Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- OPTIONAL TOPPING AND SERVING: Once cool, dust with powdered sugar if desired. Slice and serve plain or with butter.
Notes
Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap, which tastes bitter. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk in turns and mix only until combined, then bake right away. Start checking at 50 minutes; a toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top darkens before 45 minutes, cover it loosely with foil. Store the loaf tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freeze slices separated with parchment for up to 3 months. For best flavor, serve slightly warm; it tastes even more spiced on day two.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 230Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 24mgSodium 250mgCarbohydrates 49gFiber 1gSugar 34gProtein 3g
