Julie Clark
Updated:
Moist Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
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This gingerbread loaf recipe is a soft, moist molasses quick bread spiced with ginger and nutmeg. No yeast needed. Buttermilk keeps the quick bread tender.
Love traditional gingerbread cookies? This gingerbread loaf has the same flavors, but bakes up soft, sliceable and ready to serve or gift during the holidays.
Quick Look: Gingerbread Loaf
- Flavor: Molasses-forward with warm ginger and nutmeg. The bread itself is lightly sweet, so the powdered sugar top is important.
- Texture: Soft, tender, and moist, similar to gingerbread snack cake
- Method: One 8½x4½ loaf pan, 350°F, 45-50 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick shows only a few moist crumbs and the center reads 200-205°F.
- Skill level: Beginner. No yeast, no rise time.
- Make ahead: The spices deepen overnight, so it’s a great bake-the-day-before loaf.
- Want more spice? Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon allspice.
What readers are saying:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Jennifer says, “I made mini loaves with this recipe and they turned out fantastic. The only thing I have to say is that I made the recipe exactly the first time but the second time I creamed the butter and sugar before adding the molasses and the other liquid ingredients. It turned out much better the second time around. Thanks so much for this recipe!!!”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Michelle says, “I made this loaf last night and it was just delicious! Very light and fluffy, and had just enough spice. Thank you for the great recipe – I will definitely be making this perfect loaf again! =)”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Lainey says, “Really excellent recipe; thanks for sharing! I made as directed, except I was looking for a quick bread version reminiscent of my grandma’s molasses cookies, so I subbed the spices from her recipe: (heaping) 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, and ½ tsp cloves. Otherwise made as directed, and it captured all the essence of her beloved molasses cookies but in a soft and tender quick bread. Amazing.”
What do you need to make gingerbread loaf?
- The baking soda reacts with the buttermilk to give the bread a nice lift.
- The bread is sweetened with a combination of brown sugar and molasses.
- The bread will have the best flavor if you use a regular or light molasses. Blackstrap molasses has a bitter flavor and is very strong.
- Ginger and nutmeg add a holiday warmth. Allspice and cinnamon are great additions if you’d like a stronger flavor.
- A sprinkle of powdered sugar on top gives a festive, snowy look and adds to the sweet flavor.
✨ For full ingredients and amounts for this gingerbread loaf cake, see the recipe card below. ✨
How to Make a Moist Gingerbread Loaf
To prepare: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. For best results, use an electric mixer to mix the wet ingredients, then use a rubber spatula to fold together the gingerbread batter. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until well combined. Add the molasses and vanilla. Mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, stirring just until blended after each addition.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (or the center reads 200-205°F). If the top browns before the middle is set, tent loosely with foil around the 35-minute mark. Pulling it early is the number one reason a gingerbread loaf sinks.
- Allow the bread to cool completely, then dust the top with powdered sugar.
Recipe Variations
One of the joys of baking is making a recipe your own, and this Gingerbread Loaf is no exception.
- Mix in a handful of dried fruit, like cranberries or raisins, for a little extra sweetness and texture.
- Chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, can also add a delightful crunch.
- If you’re a fan of chocolate, try folding in some chocolate chips for a decadent twist. I LOVE chocolate and gingerbread together!
- Orange and gingerbread go well together. Add 2 teaspoons of orange zest.
- Want it like the Starbucks gingerbread loaf version? Spread a cream cheese frosting over the cooled loaf and scatter chopped crystallized ginger on top. A powdered sugar glaze is great, too!
Serving Ideas
This Gingerbread Loaf is perfect on its own, but you can also dress it up a bit.
- Try serving this quick bread recipe warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a comforting dessert on Christmas Eve.
- For a morning treat, a slice goes wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
- If you’re looking to pair it with a drink for a cozy evening, try a glass of eggnog, spiced cider or a latte.
How long does gingerbread loaf last?
Gingerbread loaf keeps for 2 days at room temperature, 4 days in the fridge, or 2 months in the freezer.
- Counter: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container.
- Fridge: Store airtight, then bring slices to room temperature before eating so the crumb softens.
- Freezer: Freeze whole or sliced, wrapped airtight. Thaw on the counter, and dust with powdered sugar after thawing, not before freezing.
Other Gingerbread Recipes
Try our chocolate olive oil loaf cake next.
Moist Gingerbread Loaf
Soft, moist, molasses quick bread is perfectly seasoned with ginger and nutmeg. Gingerbread Loaf gives that classic holiday flavor that you love!
Servings 10 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- powdered sugar for dusting the top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8 1/2"x 4 1/2" or 9×5" inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Then line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. 2 cups all-purpose flour , 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until well combined. Add the molasses and vanilla. Mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup salted butter, ½ cup unsulphured molasses, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, stirring just until blended after each addition. 1 cup buttermilk
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. If the bread is getting too brown on top, cover loosely with aluminum foil to finish baking.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove from the pan and cool completely.
- Dust the top with powdered sugar after the bread has completely cooled. The bread is not overly sweet so this sprinkle of powdered sugar is a must! powdered sugar
Video
Notes
- For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure the flour so that you don’t end up with too much flour (which will make the bread dry).
- Fresh nutmeg really elevates the flavor in this bread. To add more flavor, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon allspice.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
- The calories shown are based on the bread being cut into 10 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of bread. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 377IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my gingerbread loaf sink in the middle?
A gingerbread loaf usually sinks because the center was underbaked. Molasses batter is heavy and sets slowly, so the edges look done well before the middle is. Other causes are too much flour or leavening from measuring by cup instead of weight, and opening the oven in the first 30 minutes. A very slight dip in the bread is normal with molasses and baking soda. For a level loaf, bake until the center reads 200-205°F, weigh your flour, and use baking soda that’s less than 6 months old.
Is gingerbread loaf the same as ginger loaf?
They are similar but not the same. An American gingerbread loaf like this one is a molasses and buttermilk quick bread with a soft, cake-like crumb. A British ginger loaf or ginger cake usually uses golden syrup and black treacle, bakes denser and stickier, and often gets better after a few days wrapped up.
Can I bake this as mini loaves or muffins?
Yes. Reader Jennifer bakes it in mini loaf pans with great results. Fill the pans about two-thirds full and start checking mini loaves at 25 minutes and muffins at 18 minutes, using the same toothpick test.
Hi, thanks for the recipe. It tastes great however, I am not sure if I needed to bake it for longer but it seemed quite dense and stodgy. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hi Lizzy! I made the bread and it was delicious! I just made the nutmeg 1tsp instead of 3/4 tsp, added 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. It was soft and moist but on the second day the bread dried out. I baked it for 35 mins so I know it’s not because of overbaking. Do you think I can increase the buttermilk to 1.5 cups instead of just one? Or maybe add half a cup of warm water?
This is the exact recipe handed down from my heart grandmother
When you said “you cannot stir this too much “ I thought it required a lot of stirring, that you can’t possibly over mix it. I live at high altitude and couldn’t figure out why it came out so flat… just realized I definitely over mixed! Just thought I’d let you know the wording was a little confusing
Wow, I followed the recipe exactly and there is basically no flavor to this. Not sweet enough and no spice or molasses flavor. So I wasted the ingredients and wasted an hour waiting for flavorless bread. I don’t usually comment like this but it seems I should have read the comments before I began so I could change the recipe completely or pick a different recipe. Sorry. . . Lesson learned
Hi, what kind of ginger? The spice or fresh grated?
Very moist, but too much spice for me. I will modify next time. Less ginger next time. I will add brown sugar and honey next time.
Delicious. Read the comments and increased the 1/4 C sugar to 1/2 C br sugar. Used generous measurements for spices plus added pumpkin pie spice.
Topped the loaf before baking with a sprinkle of coarse turbinado sugar.
Tasted great and easy to make. I did use brown sugar instead of regular sugar.
Really like this recipe although I altered it slightly. I increased the brown sugar to a half cup instead of a fourth and added additional spices.
LOVE THE HOW YOU MAKE IT VERY WONDERFUL THANK YOU VICKIE BUCKNER
I made this recipe to give away at Christmas. Be sure to cream to sugar and butter together, or you are a loaf will fall. I accidentally put the sugar in with the dry mixture the first time around. Despite the molasses, the bread is not very sweet. If you are wanting a sweet bread, add more sugar. I personally liked it the way that it was! It was delicious and not overly spicy.
i just took it out of the oven. my house is filled with smells of warm spices and baked goods. I tweaked the recipe a little. instead of using sugar, I used 1/2 c maple syrup. In place of buttermilk I used eggnog. I also added dates and walnuts.
Can this be successfully made with gluten free all purpose flour? (Rice, tapioca, potato, almond blend)
My pan was smaller than required so I made 2 large cupcakes, baked 40 minutes Perfect. So light and moist!
Loaf bread could have used 10 more min in an 8×4 pan. Recipe calls for 9″ loaf!. VERY TASTY!