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sliced gingerbread loaf on a wire rack with a spoonful of cream cheese glaze next to it

Gingerbread Loaf

This easy gingerbread loaf with cream cheese glaze is a delicous addition to your holiday festivities!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 12
Author Kelsie

Ingredients

Loaf

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup boiling water

Glaze

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Loaf

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.*
  2. Sift the dry ingredients (flour through ground cloves) into a medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. Combine the butter, brown sugar, molasses, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
  4. Stir in half of the dry ingredients until just combined, then stir in half of the water. Repeat, stirring just until the batter is smooth.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
  6. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Glaze

  1. Combine the butter and cream cheese in a medium microwave-safe bowl and beat until smooth. (You can do this by hand or with a hand mixer.)
  2. Add the powdered sugar (sift it first if you’re mixing by hand), the vanilla, and the salt. Stir again until smooth.
  3. Heat the glaze in the microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring after each, until the glaze is a pourable consistency; you don’t want it to be melted, just a little runny.
  4. Pour the glaze over the gingerbread and pop it in the fridge until the glaze sets. Slice and serve.

Recipe Notes

  • *You can also bake this as a cake in an 8-inch square baking pan. It will bake for about 25 to 35 minutes; it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • This gingerbread loaf is best eaten the day it’s made; it gets a little hard in the fridge but you can store unglazed gingerbread at room temp (tightly wrapped) for up to a day. You can also freeze individual slices, again tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months.