Gingerbread Loaf

Name: Gingerbread Loaf
Cook time: 50 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 5 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled; 250 g all-purpose flour sifted; 5 g baking powder; 4 g baking soda; 2 g fine salt; 6 g ground ginger; 4 g ground cinnamon; 1 g ground cloves; 1 g ground nutmeg; 80 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled; 150 g dark brown sugar packed; 170 g unsulphured molasses; 1 count large egg room temperature; 120 g whole milk room temperature; 5 g vanilla extract; 60 g hot water just off the boil; 60 g powdered sugar for optional glaze; 20 g orange juice for optional glaze; 2 g orange zest finely grated, for optional glaze

This American-style gingerbread loaf uses molasses, brown sugar, and ginger-forward spices for a classic holiday profile. It bakes in a standard loaf pan and can be served plain or with a simple orange glaze after cooling.

By Julienne

Cook time: 50 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

5 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
250 g all-purpose flour sifted
5 g baking powder
4 g baking soda
2 g fine salt
6 g ground ginger
4 g ground cinnamon
1 g ground cloves
1 g ground nutmeg
80 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
150 g dark brown sugar packed
170 g unsulphured molasses
1 count large egg room temperature
120 g whole milk room temperature
5 g vanilla extract
60 g hot water just off the boil
60 g powdered sugar for optional glaze
20 g orange juice for optional glaze
2 g orange zest finely grated, for optional glaze

Instructions

Heat the oven to 175 C. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling. The oven is fully preheated and the pan is prepared.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The dry mixture looks evenly speckled with spices and no clumps remain.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the brown sugar and molasses until smooth, then whisk in the egg, milk, and vanilla. The batter base is glossy and fully combined.
Whisk the hot water into the molasses mixture, then add the dry ingredients and fold just until no dry flour remains. The batter is thick, smooth, and free of dry pockets; a few small streaks are fine.
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. The pan is filled evenly and ready for baking.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top springs back lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The loaf is domed, set at the center, and pulls slightly from the pan edges.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack before glazing or slicing. The loaf is cool enough to slice cleanly.
Optional glaze: whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled loaf. The glaze is thick enough to cling but loose enough to drizzle.