Gingerbread Loaf with Lemon Glaze

This American-style gingerbread loaf is baked in a standard loaf pan with molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves for a deep spice profile. A lemon glaze is applied after the loaf cools so it sets on the surface and adds a sharp citrus finish. The loaf slices cleanly once fully cooled and stays moist from the molasses and oil.

By Julienne

Cook time: 55 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 10 ml neutral oil for greasing the pan
• 250 g all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 5 g baking soda
• 3 g fine salt
• 4 g ground ginger
• 4 g ground cinnamon
• 1 g ground cloves
• 85 g unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
• 150 g light brown sugar packed
• 170 g unsulphured molasses
• 2 number large egg room temperature
• 120 ml whole milk room temperature
• 60 ml hot water
• 120 g powdered sugar sifted
• 30 ml fresh lemon juice for glaze
• 2 g lemon zest finely grated

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 175°C. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment and lightly grease the paper and exposed sides with the oil. The oven is fully preheated and the loaf pan is lined and greased.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until evenly combined. The dry mixture looks uniform with no visible streaks of spice.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and molasses until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, then the milk and hot water. The batter base is glossy and evenly blended without visible sugar lumps.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold just until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix; a few small streaks are better than a tough crumb. The batter is thick, smooth, and just combined.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the top is set and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The loaf is domed, springy in the center, and a tester shows moist crumbs.
6. Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 35 to 45 minutes more. The loaf is fully cool to the touch before glazing.
7. For the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. If it seems too thick, add a few drops more lemon juice from the same measured amount only if needed, but keep the total lemon juice at 30 ml. The glaze is smooth, opaque, and slowly ribbons off the whisk.
8. Spoon the glaze over the cooled loaf, letting it drip down the sides. Let it set for 10 minutes before slicing. The glaze has set enough to slice cleanly.