Gingerbread Loaf with Orange (Printer-Friendly)
A moist spiced loaf with sweet orange icing offering a festive, zesty flavor ideal for winter occasions.
# What You'll Need:
→ Gingerbread Loaf
01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking soda
03 - ¼ tsp salt
04 - 1½ tsp ground ginger
05 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - ¼ tsp ground cloves
07 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - ½ cup packed brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - ½ cup molasses
12 - ½ cup milk
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Orange Icing
14 - 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
15 - 2–3 tbsp fresh orange juice
16 - 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.
05 - Stir in molasses, milk, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
06 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined without overmixing.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth and pourable. Adjust orange juice amount to reach desired consistency.
09 - Drizzle the orange icing over the cooled loaf and allow to set before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The molasses keeps every slice impossibly moist, even days later when you're sneaking pieces straight from the kitchen.
- That orange icing cuts through the spice in the most unexpected, bright way—it's the moment people pause and ask for the recipe.
- Comes together in less than two hours from start to finish, which means you can make it on a Tuesday and still feel productive.
02 -
- Measure your molasses correctly—too much and the loaf becomes dense and almost sticky, too little and you lose the moisture that makes it special days later.
- Don't skip cooling the loaf completely before icing; warm icing melts into puddles, and the loaf continues baking slightly from residual heat, which can make the icing absorb unevenly.
03 -
- Bring all your ingredients to room temperature before you start—cold eggs and milk don't incorporate as smoothly, and cold butter won't cream properly no matter how long you beat it.
- Toast your spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before grinding them fresh if you're really serious; the aroma alone will change how you feel about the finished loaf.