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Gingerbread Loaf

A wonderfully soft and moist gingerbread loaf cake, packed with warm spices and rich molasses flavour, and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze. Perfect for the festive season!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Loaf

  • 250 g plain/all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 150 g light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 115 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 180 g plain Greek-style yogurt
  • 150 g molasses/black treacle
  • 60 ml hot water

For the Vanilla Glaze

  • 125 g icing/powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 - 3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

For the Gingerbread Loaf

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 23 × 13cm (9 × 5-inch) loaf tin with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and light brown sugar until smooth and combined.
  • Add the vanilla extract, melted butter, yogurt, and molasses, and whisk until smooth and well combined.
  • Carefully whisk in the hot water until fully incorporated.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and spread it out evenly.
  • Bake for 55–70 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminium foil during the final 15–20 minutes.
  • Leave to cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Vanilla Glaze

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add a little more milk, if needed, to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
  • Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled gingerbread loaf and leave to set before slicing and serving.

Notes

Molasses: Use regular unsulphured molasses or black treacle for the best gingerbread flavour. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which can be too bitter.
Yogurt: Plain Greek-style yogurt helps keep the loaf soft and moist. Sour cream can also be used.
Storage: Store the loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: The unglazed loaf freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly and thaw at room temperature before adding the glaze.