🍂 Moist Gingerbread Loaf with Cinnamon Glaze – Easy Holiday Recipe

This incredibly moist gingerbread loaf is packed with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, creating the perfect comfort dessert for any season. The rich molasses flavor combined with a sweet cinnamon glaze makes this loaf absolutely irresistible.

What I love most about this recipe is how simple it is to make with basic pantry ingredients, yet the results are absolutely spectacular. The texture is perfectly tender and moist, while the warm spices fill your kitchen with the most amazing aroma as it bakes. Whether you’re serving it for the holidays, bringing it to a potluck, or just enjoying a cozy afternoon treat, this gingerbread loaf never disappoints!

How To Make Gingerbread Loaf

Step 1. I always start by preheating my oven to 350 degrees and preparing my 8×4 loaf pan with a good coating of non-stick spray. In a large bowl, I whisk together all the dry ingredients – the flour, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. The aroma of those warm spices mixed together is absolutely divine and gets me excited for the final result!

Step 2. In a separate bowl, I cream together the softened butter and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial for creating that perfect tender crumb, so I make sure to beat it well until it’s properly combined and has a nice creamy texture.

Step 3. Next, I add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. I like to make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one, which helps create a smooth, even batter that will bake up beautifully.

Step 4. Here’s where the magic happens – I stir together the molasses and hot water in a separate container, then pour this mixture into my butter mixture. The molasses is what gives this loaf its rich, deep flavor and beautiful dark color. I beat everything together until it’s completely combined.

Step 5. Now comes the important part – I slowly pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing continuously but gently. The key here is to mix just until a dough forms and no dry flour remains visible. Overmixing can lead to a tough loaf, so I stop as soon as everything comes together.

Step 6. I pour the beautiful spiced batter into my prepared loaf pan and slide it into the preheated oven. The baking time is 60-70 minutes, and I always test for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center – it should come out clean when the loaf is perfectly baked.

Step 7. Patience is key here! I let the loaf cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire cooling rack. It’s tempting to glaze it right away, but I always wait until it’s completely cool – this prevents the icing from melting and sliding right off.

Step 8. While the loaf finishes cooling, I prepare the cinnamon icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and cinnamon until smooth. If the consistency seems too thick, I add a little more cream until it reaches the perfect drizzling consistency.

Step 9. Finally, the best part – I drizzle the gorgeous cinnamon glaze over the completely cooled loaf, letting it cascade down the sides. Once the icing sets slightly, I slice into thick pieces and serve. The combination of the moist, spiced bread with that sweet glaze is absolutely heavenly!

Gingerbread Loaf

This moist gingerbread loaf features warm spices and molasses for rich flavor, topped with a sweet cinnamon glaze. Perfect for holidays or cozy afternoons!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

  

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For the Bread

• 2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp ginger
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter – softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 1 cup hot water

For the Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4-5 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

 

For the Bread

• Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare loaf pan with non-stick spray. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until well combined.
• Mix in eggs and vanilla extract.
• Stir molasses with hot water, then add to butter mixture and beat until combined.
• Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until dough forms without overmixing.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake 60-70 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

For the Icing

• Mix icing ingredients until smooth, adding cream as needed for desired consistency.
• Ice the cooled bread, slice and enjoy!

Keyword cinnamon glaze, gingerbread bread, holiday bread, molasses loaf, spiced bread

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