Gingerbread Loaf Cake Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

This gently spiced gingerbread cake is topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting and studded with candied ginger and just a hint of orange, making it the perfect holiday treat!

Categories:

  • Vegetarian
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The Very Best Gingerbread Recipe, We Promise

You could call me the super-fan of quick breads. And chances are, if you’re familiar with them yourself, then their simplicity and ease has already won you over, too. If you haven’t yet discovered the genius of quick breads, than this gingerbread loaf recipe is the perfect recipe to get you acquainted. Aside from this trusty and truly tasty recipe, we’ve got a little trick up our sleeves that makes this quick bread even easier to make than usual...the blender!

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How to Make Gingerbread in the Blender?

Did you know that you can make this gingerbread recipe in a blender? I’ve been using my new Ascent Series Vitamix Blender to make so many yummy things (like the marinade in this Easy Harissa Chicken or this Butternut Squash Soup), but I’ve just recently discovered how useful it is in making all different types of batters. I tried out the method for this gingerbread cake and I’m convinced it’s the way to go!

In the name of research, I’ll also be making (and tasting) the following quick bread recipes using my Vitamix Blender:

  • Pumpkin Bread
  • Baileys Chocolate Bundt Cake
  • Banana Banana Bread with Maple Mascarpone
  • Pound cake (of all kinds)
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How Do You MakeThis Super Moist Gingerbread Cake Recipe?

I’m glad you asked!

To make this gingerbread loaf cake really moist, we’ve added some unexpected ingredients and the flavor and texture that result are incredible!

  • Applesauce
  • Canola oil
  • Fresh-squeezed orange juice

Quick disclaimer: with the addition of cream cheese frosting, this gingerbread cake has plenty of sugar. It’s a great little treat, dessert, or indulgent breakfast come Christmas morning. With that being said, a little over-the-topness once in a while (especially come December) is just fine in my book.

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Tips For Keeping This Cake Moist:

Don’t over bake it! There is nothing worse than an overbaked quick bread. We recommend baking this gingerbread loaf for 60 minutes in a 9x5 bread pan. Don’t be tempted to check on the cake by opening the oven, as you might cause the temperature in the oven to drop and your cake to sink in the middle. When it has baked for an hour, test by inserting a knife into the center. If it comes out clean, get that baby out of there!

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A Little History Lesson: What is Old Fashioned Gingerbread?

One of the things I absolutely love about cooking, and baking specifically, is the origin story of the dish I am working on. I knew gingerbread had been around for a long, long time, but I wanted to learn more. So I did a bit of digging and found out that gingerbread as we know it originated in Germany, and came to the Americas along with the first European settlers more than 200 years ago. Back then, molasses was less expensive than sugar so it became a common ingredient in many sweet recipes, gingerbread included. While molasses is still the gold standard, gingerbread can also be sweetened with honey or sugar. What has remained constant is the use of certain spices that create a quick bread that is full of warmth.

Gingerbread spices are:

  • Ginger
  • Cloves
  • Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon
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To Frost or Not to Frost Your Gingerbread Loaf?

There are three types of gingerbread lovers in this world:

  1. Those who do not want frosting or icing of any kind. This results in a bread that’s less sweet and really lets the gingerbread spices shine.
  2. A thin layer of gingerbread icing. The middle ground—just a hint of a sheen, for looks and texture.
  3. Go for the gold- I’m talking a thick layer of cream cheese frosting, making for a rich and decadent treat. While I’d eat this loaf anyway it was served, there’s just something magical about a generous spread of slightly sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting.

Thankfully, this cream cheese frosting comes together in a flash thanks to (drumroll please…) our Ascent Series Vitamix Blender yet again! A perfectly fluffy cream cheese frosting in 3 seconds flat? Sounds good to me!

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How and When Should You Serve this Gingerbread Loaf?

Gingerbread cake is absolutely lovely for all occasions, but especially in the fall and winter, when you are craving warm spices.

We like to serve ours:

  • without frosting for a breakfast treat.
  • topped with a dollop of whipped cream to indulge an occasional sweet tooth.
  • with cream cheese frosting (studded with candied ginger and dried cranberries) for the perfect Christmas dessert.

How will you eat yours? With frosting? Without? Do you have some other trick or tradition up your sleeve when it comes to gingerbread loaf? We’d love to hear about it!

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Did you Try Our Knock-Off Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf Recipe?

When you decide to give this quick bread recipe a try, we’d love to hear about it! Be sure to snap a photo, add it to your Instagram feed or stories, and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Also feel free to leave a comment on this post and be sure to tell your friends where you discovered the recipe.

This sponsored post is written by TMP on behalf of Vitamix in partnership with TheFeedFeed. The opinions and text are all ours. Thank you for supporting the brands we love.

Gingerbread Loaf Cake Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a loaf cake and a round cake? ›

Loaf cakes are always baked in a loaf pan, whereas cakes in other square or round tins. And even though both cakes and loaf cakes share similar ingredients, the ratio of flour, fat, sugar and the mixing methods are different and make a difference in the final product.

Why does my gingerbread loaf sink in the middle? ›

Most likely too much bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) was added. Bicarbonate of soda is an extremely active raising agent and if you add too much then the gingerbread will rise up a lot during baking, then sink back fairly dramatically.

What do bakers call the end of a loaf? ›

The proper term is “heel,” according to the Cambridge Dictionary. Some may call it just “the end piece” or “the butt” when going with true informality. Some Redditors even refer to them as the “crusts,” a double whammy for both the outside of each slice and the end of the loaf itself.

What is a pooch cake? ›

All-natural, healthy cake and ice cream mixes for dogs.

Can I substitute a round pan for a loaf pan? ›

Round Pans

6×2 inch round pan holds 4 cups of batter, the same as an 8×4 inch loaf pan. Fun discovery! Cupcake recipes yielding 12-16 cupcakes fit wonderfully in 3 6-inch cake pans.

What is a loaf cake? ›

Meaning of loaf cake in English

a cake baked in a rectangular pan: I'm making a lemon loaf cake. We like a slice of loaf cake with our morning coffee. This chocolate loaf cake is amazing.

Will a cake mix fit in a loaf pan? ›

You can bake cake mix in loaf pans. Grease and flour the bottom only and bake at 325 to 350 for 35 to 55 minutes depending on the pan size. One 9x5 loaf pan will be very full and will bake for 50 minutes +. You can use two 8x4-inch pans and start checking for doneness at around 35 minutes.

Are loaf cake and pound cake the same? ›

What's the difference between pound cake and loaf cake? A loaf cake is simply any cake that's baked in a loaf pan, including pound cake. Pound cakes got their name because they were made with a pound each of flour sugar, butter, and eggs.

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