This Gingerbread Loaf cake is perfect for gingerbread lovers! It’s a molasses quick bread made with almond flour and loaded with gingerbread spices. Best enjoyed for the holiday season and gift giving!
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If you love gingerbread recipes, check out Vegan Gingerbread Muffins, Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls, and Healthy Gingerbread Truffles!
If you’re looking for a healthy quick bread loaf, I love using almond flour as a naturally gluten free option. The ingredients are simple, the texture comes out moist and soft. It really is a winner! This Gingerbread Loaf was adapted from my gluten free Blueberry Bread recipe and it really is so delicious!
Recipe Highlights
- Easy to make ginger cake and better than Starbucks gingerbread loaf!
- A holiday treat ready in under one hour.
- Homemade gingerbread loaf has a pound cake-like texture! Truly, it’s amazing.
- It happens to be gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free to fit a variety of dietary needs.
Recipe Ingredients
Think of this as a healthier gingerbread loaf recipe that is lightly sweetened with maple syrup and molasses. Most of the ingredients are probably in your Healthy Baking Pantry, but we will need:
- almond flour – Make sure you get the bag made from blanched almonds (not raw almond meal).
- tapioca flour – the tapioca flour helps hold the flour together a bit better. If you don’t have tapioca flour on hand, you can use 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (if you don’t need the bread to be gluten-free), OR 1:1 gluten free baking flour. You can also sub with 2.5 tablespoons coconut flour with similar results.
- gingerbread spices – ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, allspice and a tiny bit of nutmeg is how I like it.
- baking soda + baking powder – use both leavening agents for the right rise.
- fine sea salt – balances the sweetness and those warm gingerbread spices.
- avocado oil – you can also use light olive oil, or melted and cooled coconut oil.
- pure maple syrup – maple syrup helps to sweeten and makes up for some of the liquid, so it cannot be subbed with a dry sweetener. It can be subbed with honey, but the bread will brown a little more.
- regular molasses (not blackstrap molasses) – helps give this loaf that classic gingerbread flavor.
- eggs – eggs bind the batter and give it structure.
- vanilla extract – adds a delicious floral note.
- milk of choice + apple cider vinegar – milk helps thin out the batter while apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) creates a reaction for the bread to rise properly.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
Instructions Overview
If you’re looking for a delicious (and actually pretty healthy) holiday baking recipe, I hope you’ll make this gingerbread loaf! It comes together in one bowl and is ready within one hour. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
preheat oven
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line an 8×4-inch bread pan with pre-cut parchment paper sheets or grease with non-stick spray.
mix dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, tapioca flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
whisk wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk oil, maple syrup, and molasses until shiny and smooth. Add eggs and vanilla, whisking once more. Then pour in milk and vinegar.
make gingerbread batter
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until no clumps of flour remain. Batter will be thick.
bake
Pour cake batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Then, cover with aluminum foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.
Loaf is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. If you do have wet batter, continue baking uncovered in 2-3 minute increments.
cool
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift the bread out of the pan. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
TIP: If glazing, wait for the gingerbread loaf to completely cool on the cooling rack. Otherwise the glaze will melt off the sides.
glaze the loaf
In a small bowl, mix together confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
Pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Set for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Glaze Options
A glaze really takes this gingerbread loaf over the top, but it also gives a slightly sweeter finish to the bread, since the loaf itself is not overly sweet. To jazz it up a bit, you can try:
- Lemon: use freshly squeezed lemon juice and sprinkle on some lemon zest after glazing.
- Orange glaze: use freshly squeezed orange juice and sprinkle on some orange zest after glazing.
- Maple: add a splash of maple extract or use maple syrup as the liquid.
- Cinnamon: add a dash to the powdered sugar before adding in the liquid.
- Plain: almond milk, soy milk, heavy cream, or coffee creamer can also be used as the liquid component.
TIP: Quantity of liquid will depend on how thin you like your glaze. Start with 2 teaspoons, then add 1 teaspoon at a time until your desired consistency is reached.
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Serving Suggestions
Nothing says Christmas morning more than the smell of gingerbread spices throughout your kitchen. I love to serve this on Christmas day or throughout the holiday season.
It is a moist loaf with a tender crumb that goes perfect with morning coffee.
Need a hostess gift? Homemade gifts are a holiday favorite that spreads the holiday cheer!
How to Store & Freeze
Leftover gingerbread cake can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature for 3 days.
Freeze: If you’d like to freeze it, tightly wrap unglazed bread in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this loaf into muffins?
While I haven’t tried this recipe as muffins, it should work. Grease a muffin pan or use liners and evenly distribute the batter. Bake at 350ºF and watch baking time after 15 minutes.
What makes gingerbread taste like gingerbread?
Molasses. Some recipes call for other sweeteners, like maple syrup (also in our recipe), brown sugar, or honey. But molasses is most associated with gingerbread.
Why did my gingerbread loaf sink in the middle?
Too much baking soda or overmixing. Make sure to follow the recipe card for the leavening agent and do not overmix. If it does sink, you can also top it with extra glaze or make cake pops!
More Quick Bread Recipes
Let me know if you make this Gingerbread Loaf recipe by leaving a comment and star review below! It helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley
Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2.75 cups almond flour, from blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour, or arrowroot flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/4 cup avocado oil, or melted + cooled coconut oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup molasses, not blackstrap
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar
Optional Glaze
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a medium loaf pan (8×4) with parchment paper; set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl combine almond flour, tapioca flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together oil, maple syrup and molasses. Add in eggs and vanilla, whisking until smooth, then stir in milk and vinegar.
- Combine: Add bowl of dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients, stirring until making sure no clumps of flour present. Batter will be fairly thick.
- Bake: Pour batter into lined loaf pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes, then cover with foil and continue baking for 10-15 minutes.
- Cool: Allow bread to cool in pan for about 20 minutes before carefully removing and placing on wire rack. If glazing, wait for bread to completely cool.
- To make glaze, combine confectioners sugar with lemon juice (or liquid of choice) until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and wait to set before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
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