Gingerbread Loaf Cake
by Kelly O'Connell
Gingerbread Loaf Cake
Yield 5 3”x5” loaves
Ingredients:
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 TBS Ground Ginger
- 1 TBS Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Cloves
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 1/3 cup Molasses
- 1 1/2 cups Hot Water
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened to room temp
- 3/4 cup packed Light or Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 large Eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Orange Icing
- 2 cup Confectioners’ Sugar, sifted
- 4 TBS Orange Marmalade
- 4 TBS Orange Juice
- ¼ tsp Orange Oil
Topping: Chopped candied orange peel, sprinkle ginger & demerara sugar
Instructions
1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 375°F
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper together until combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl or dish, whisk the molasses and hot water together.
3. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed for 1 minute until creamed together fairly well. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. On medium-high speed, beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the hot water/molasses and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing. Batter will be thin. Whisk
4. Whisk out any big lumps.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for around 50 minutes or until the gingerbread loaf is baked through. All ovens are different and your loaf could take a little more or less time. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the gingerbread loaf. If it comes out clean with only a couple moist (not wet) crumbs, it is done. Allow to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before removing from pan.
6. Make the icing: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice together. Drizzle over cooled loaf and sprinkle with toppings.