Gingerbread Loaf Orange Icing (Printable Version)
A moist spiced gingerbread loaf topped with sweet and zesty orange icing, ideal for festive moments.
# What You Need:
→ Gingerbread Loaf
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1/2 cup molasses
12 - 1/2 cup milk
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Orange Icing
14 - 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
16 - 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. 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 - Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.
04 - Stir in molasses, milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with fresh orange juice and orange zest until smooth and pourable, adding more juice if needed.
09 - Drizzle the icing over the cooled loaf and allow it to set before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It fills your kitchen with the kind of warmth that makes people linger at your table.
- The orange icing is bright enough to cut through the spice, so every bite stays interesting.
- You can make it on a Tuesday and it tastes even better three days later when the flavor settles in.
02 -
- Room-temperature ingredients blend together more smoothly and create better texture—take the eggs and butter out 30 minutes before you start.
- The molasses and brown sugar combination is what makes this loaf stay moist for days, so don't try to lighten it by switching sugars.
- Orange juice straight from the bottle tastes chemical and thin; fresh-squeezed orange juice is the only thing that makes the icing sing.
03 -
- Toast your spices lightly in a dry pan for 30 seconds before measuring—this wakes them up and deepens their flavor in ways that feel almost magical.
- If your molasses is thick and sticky, warm it slightly in the microwave for 10 seconds so it incorporates more smoothly and doesn't create lumps in your batter.