Gingerbread Loaf
This gingerbread loaf is soft, moist, and packed with warm holiday spices and rich molasses flavor. It’s an easy, no-fuss quick bread made with simple pantry ingredients and baked into a tender loaf that’s perfect for breakfast, dessert, or gifting during the holidays.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 273kcal
Cost: Recipe $3.39 / Serving $0.34
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted ($0.92)
- ½ cup brown sugar ($0.25)
- ½ cup molasses ($1.31)
- 1 large egg ($0.16)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.04)
- 1 cup warm water or buttermilk ($0.00)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour ($0.26)
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger ($0.24)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ($0.12)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda ($0.02)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder ($0.02)
- ½ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ($0.02)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, optional ($0.02)
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, vanilla extract, and warm water or buttermilk until smooth.
- Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. The batter will be thin.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Pan prep. Lining the pan with parchment makes removal easier and gives cleaner edges.
- Moisture. Buttermilk creates a richer, softer crumb than water.
- Bake time. Begin checking at 50 minutes for doneness.
- Cooling. Let the loaf cool briefly in the pan before removing to prevent sinking.
- Storage. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature. Flavor deepens on day two. Freezes well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
