You’re going to love this moist gingerbread loaf for the holidays!
This holiday gingerbread loaf with maple cream cheese frosting is the quintessential holiday dessert! It is warmly spiced and perfectly sweet!
Once Thanksgiving is over, I waste no time moving into full-blown Christmas mode. Truly, it is my absolute favorite holiday!
Confession…I am totally one of those people who starts celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving.
I start playing Christmas music in early November (if I can wait that long) and put up my decorations before Thanksgiving is over.
It’s not that I don’t like Thanksgiving, it’s just that I feel the Christmas season is too short, so I like to start the celebration a little bit early. 🙂
The sights and sounds of the season are second to none. The anticipation that builds as we count down the days until Christmas fills my heart.
But now that the rest of the world is in Christmas mode, I can share this wonderful recipe for gingerbread with maple cream cheese frosting. It just wouldn’t be right to keep this one to myself!
Holiday Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
You know how some desserts just simply scream “Christmas?” This is absolutely one of those.
Today I’m sharing a quintessential holiday dessert– gingerbread loaf!
It is loaded with warm spices and is delightfully sweet on its own thanks to the depth provided by brown sugar and molasses, but it is completely taken to the next level with the addition of maple cream cheese frosting.
I’ve decided the frosting is definitely not optional…it’s just that good!
This holiday gingerbread loaf is baked in a loaf pan but is moist and cake-like in texture.
It can serve as a dessert for a holiday dinner, a snack when you need a break from wrapping presents, or even an easy breakfast for Christmas morning.
I’m a big fan of easy holiday treats, and this gingerbread with maple cream cheese frosting definitely fits the bill. It’s a breeze to prepare and is the perfect tasty addition to your holiday menu or to bring along to a holiday get-together. You’ll love it!
If you’re looking for more festive treats, check out these holiday favorites:
- Cranberry Streusel Pie: A Festive and Beautiful Holiday Dessert
- How to Make Peppermint Swirl Marshmallows for the Holidays
- Easy Eggnog Bundt Cake
- Eggnog Ice Cream Pie
Gingerbread with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
This delicious gingerbread with maple cream cheese frosting is a festive and decadent dessert!
Ingredients
- For the Gingerbread:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3 Tbs milk, plus more if needed
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
Instructions
- Grease a loaf pan and preheat oven to 350.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
- In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine molasses and hot water, whisking to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and brown sugar, beating with paddle attachment until creamed together well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add in egg and vanilla, beating until well combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the molasses mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar together. Drizzle in maple extract and milk while mixing, adding more milk as needed to thin frosting to desired consistency.
- Remove cooled gingerbread to serving platter and spread frosting on top.
Notes
Gingerbread adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction and frosting adapted from Martha Stewart
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 441Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 405mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 1gSugar: 39gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
Michele Buckley says
Can one make this into cupcakes?
People today are more comfortable with their own portion for sanitary consideration.
Chrysti Benner says
Hi Michele! I haven’t tried it as cupcakes, but I think it should work fine. You’ll need to decrease the bake time–I’d recommend that you start checking the muffins around 22 minutes or so. I hope that helps–enjoy! 🙂