Gluten Free Gingerbread Loaf
This traditional gluten free gingerbread loaf cake with cream cheese frosting is filled with festive warm spices, rich, caramelized flavor, and a moist, tender crumb. You’ll love slicing into this spicy homemade gingerbread throughout the holidays and beyond!
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
When the festive season arrives and you are looking for an old-fashioned treat to bake, get ready to pop this gluten free gingerbread loaf in the oven. There’s just something about the intense spice, deliciously tender crumb, and deep, caramelized flavors that put me in a Christmas mood.
I love how the flavors of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice play off of the molasses in this gingerbread recipe. If you want your whole house to smell like a Gingerbread Cookie, this is the way to do it.
An Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Loaf Recipe You’ll Love
Here’s why…
- Classically simple. Combine your dry ingredients, mix the wet, then bring it all together. It’s a familiar method that even works for baking a gluten free quick bread.
- Festive flavors. The aroma of all of these warm spices in the kitchen while you’re baking this gingerbread loaf cake will carry the holiday spirit through the house.
- That frosting. Let’s have a moment of appreciation for the cream cheese frosting. It’s easy, yet so creamy and light. Combined, the spiced gingerbread and sweet-tangy frosting provide an incredible flavor balance.
Ingredient Notes
The gluten free crumb in this recipe is so soft and moist, it’s like a gingerbread cake in loaf form! Below is an overview of the ingredients with some note and tips. The full details are available in the recipe card.
- Gluten-Free Flour: I bake this loaf with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour. I haven’t treid other 1:1 blends, so if you do, the texture may vary somewhat.
- Baking Powder and Salt: You’ll need baking powder for a fluffy loaf, plus a pinch of salt to enhance the flavors.
- Spices: I use a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice to give my gingerbread loaf a classic, full-of-spice character.
- Eggs: Gives the loaf its light texture.
- Dark Brown Sugar: A must for that rich, deep caramelized crumb.
- Vanilla Extract
- Molasses: Another key ingredient in classic gingerbread.
- Vegetable Oil: For added moisture. You can also use another mild oil, such as canola or refined (neutral) coconut oil.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream is the key to an incredibly tender, soft, and moist gingerbread loaf.
- Cream Cheese: I make a quick frosting of cream cheese mixed with powdered sugar. You can also top your loaf with chopped pecans if you’d like.
🍴 In the Cupcakes & Kale Chips Kitchen…
- GLUTEN FREE FLOUR: This has been tested using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Blend. If you try any others, let me know how they work for you.
- LOAF PAN: You’ll need a 9-inch loaf pan to bake this gingerbread loaf. It’s the standard size for most quick bread recipes.
- PARCHMENT LINERS: Lining the pan ensures that the loaf easily slides out so you can slice it beautifully.
- HAND MIXER: Like many gluten free baked goods, you’ll want to beat the batter well to work in some air for a nice, light, and fluffy texture. So I recommend an electric mixer, though an inexpensive one will do.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Gingerbread Loaf
The beauty of any quick bread recipe is how, well, quickly it all comes together. This easy gingerbread loaf is no exception! Let’s run through how to make it:
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: First, whisk together the flour, spices, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients: Next, in a separate bowl, beat the eggs with vanilla, sugar, and molasses. After a few minutes of whipping, add the oil.
- Add the Dry Ingredients to the Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with the sour cream. Continue to mix until the ingredients are just combined.
- Bake: Transfer the batter to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350ºF for 50 minutes to one hour, then leave the loaf to cool.
- Frost: You’ll want to give your gingerbread loaf enough time to cool completely before frosting. When it’s ready, whisk together cream cheese and powdered sugar into a fluffy cream cheese frosting. Lastly, smear a thick layer of frosting all over the loaf. Throw on some chopped pecans, and tada! Your freshly iced gluten-free gingerbread loaf is ready for slicing.
Tips and FAQs
- Is gingerbread loaf a cake or a quick bread? It’s a bit of both! This gluten free gingerbread loaf counts as a quick bread, since it’s baked in a loaf pan but uses baking powder, not yeast. But the soft, tender crumb and cream cheese frosting of this gingerbread loaf cake make it more like a sliceable gingerbread cake than a sheet cake.
- Use a gentle touch when mixing. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet, making sure you don’t overmix the batter. This is key to a loaf that’s rich and moist, but not overly dense.
- How can I tell when my gingerbread loaf is done? The gingerbread is done when a toothpick or thin knife stuck into the center of the loaf comes out clean. You can also use an instant-read thermometer and ensure the center of the loaf is 200-205°F
- If your loaf is browning too quickly, take it out and cover the pan with aluminum foil, then return it to the oven to finish baking.
How to Store
This gingerbread loaf is best kept in the fridge 1) because of the cream cheese frosting, and 2) chilling the loaf really lets the moisture and flavors develop. Stored airtight, your gluten-free loaf will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
Can Gingerbread Be Frozen?
Yes! This gluten-free gingerbread loaf freezes well either whole or in slices. Wrap the gingerbread in plastic wrap, plus a layer of foil, or store it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed in the fridge before serving.
If you’re freezing individual slices, you may want to pre-freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet before storing them. This way they won’t squish and stick together!
Make it a Meal
We’ll enjoy this gluten-free gingerbread loaf same as we would homemade Pumpkin Bread or Moist Banana Bread. I love warming a slice ever so slightly to have while curled up with my morning coffee. It’s just as delicious with a cup of tea, too. But here are some more serving suggestions:
- Holiday brunch spread. Serve it along with Christmas Fruit Salad, Gluten Free Peppermint Donuts, and a Ham and Cheese Strata. Don’t forget a Cranberry Sparkler if you want a bright mocktail!
- Round out dessert. Gingerbread also makes a great sweet snack on its own or a festive addition to the holiday sweets table with any of the recipes just below. For dessert, serve a slice topped with ice cream and caramel sauce!
Gluten Free Gingerbread Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- chopped toasted pecans for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 ½ cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon cinnamon, 3 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground allspice, and 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Whisk together.
- In a separate bowl, add 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, 3 large eggs, 3 Tablespoons molasses, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to whip the mixture for at least 5 minutes.
- Add ¾ cup vegetable oil and continue mixing for another 2 minutes.
- Add half the dry ingredients and 0.5 cup Sour cream to the egg mixture and mix until just combined.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, add the remaining dry ingredients and 0.5 cup Sour cream and mix until just combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted comes out clean, or the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F.
- Allow to cool completely before icing. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the cooled gingerbread loaf and top with chopped toasted pecans, if desired.
For the frosting:
- Add 8 oz. cream cheese and 2 cups powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Whisk on high for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Set aside until ready to use.
Did you make this?
Leave a star rating to help others know that they should make this recipe.
Share a photo and tag @cupcakesandkalechips on Instagram!
How many eggs does this recipe take, they’re not listed in the ingredients.
I’m so sorry, I fixed the recipe. It’s 3 eggs.