My old fashioned gingerbread loaf is a moist molasses quick bread made with brown sugar, butter, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, baked low and slow in one loaf pan. A cup of warm milk with baking soda stirred in gives it a soft, tender crumb with no buttermilk needed. It takes about 15 minutes to mix, and it tastes even better the next day, so it's easy to bake ahead for the holidays.
If you love a good loaf, try my old fashioned banana bread and chocolate loaf cake, or find more in my 25 old fashioned quick bread recipes.
What to Know About Old Fashioned Gingerbread Loaf
- Warm milk, not buttermilk - this is the old-fashioned trick. Stirring baking soda into warm milk helps the loaf rise and gives it a softer crumb, so there's nothing special to buy.
- Pantry ingredients only: molasses, brown sugar, butter, one egg, flour and three ground spices. No fresh ginger needed.
- Low and slow at 325°F - it bakes for 55 to 60 minutes in a 9x5 loaf pan. The lower heat keeps the molasses from scorching on the outside before the middle is done.
- Makes 10 slices, enough for a holiday dessert tray or a few days of afternoon coffee breaks.
- Better the next day: the spice flavor deepens after 24 hours. Finish it with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a swipe of salted butter.
Ingredients for Easy Gingerbread Loaf with Molasses
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- Molasses - regular unsulphured molasses gives the classic deep, sweet flavor. Skip blackstrap, which tastes bitter. Black treacle works too.
- Packed brown sugar: it adds a caramel note and keeps the loaf moist for days.
- Unsalted butter - let it soften on the counter first so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
- Milk: warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave. It should feel warm, not hot, and never boil.
- Baking soda - the only leavening. It reacts with the molasses and gives the loaf its lift.
- Ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg: ginger leads, with cinnamon and a little nutmeg for warmth.
- All-purpose flour, 1 egg and salt round it out.
Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Old Fashioned Gingerbread Loaf
Step 1: Prep the pan and warm the milk
Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease and line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment. Warm the milk gently, stir in the baking soda and set it aside.
Step 2: Cream the butter and brown sugar
Beat the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and smooth.
Step 3: Add the egg and molasses
Beat in the egg, then mix in the molasses until the batter is evenly dark with no streaks.
Step 4: Whisk the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Step 5: Combine the batter
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with the warm milk. Mix gently and stop as soon as you no longer see dry flour.
Step 6: Bake and cool
Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a skewer in the center comes out clean. Cool it in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then move it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Grandma's Tips for the Best Gingerbread Loaf
- Grease the measuring cup before you pour in the molasses. Every last drop slides right out.
- Leave a parchment sling. Let the paper hang over the long sides of the pan so you can lift the loaf straight out.
- Stop mixing early. Once the flour goes in, overmixing makes a tough loaf with tunnels.
- Trust the skewer, not the clock. A dark molasses loaf looks done before it is, so check the center.
- Wait to slice. A fully cooled loaf cuts into clean slices. Warm a slice afterward if you like it that way.
How to Make Ahead and Store Gingerbread Loaf
- Make ahead: Bake it a day before you need it. The flavor improves after 24 hours, which makes it ideal for holiday prep.
- Room temperature - wrap it tightly and keep it on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: Keep it wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - freeze it whole or sliced for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the wrapping on the counter.
- Serving warm: Warm a slice in the microwave for a few seconds and top it with salted butter.
Modern Updates
- Orange zest - stir a little grated orange zest into the batter for a bright, citrusy loaf.
- Simple glaze: drizzle a powdered sugar and milk glaze over the cooled loaf instead of dusting it.
- Crystallized ginger - fold in a handful of chopped crystallized ginger for extra bite.
- Mini loaves for gifts: bake the batter in small loaf pans and start checking for doneness early, since smaller loaves bake faster.
What to Serve With Gingerbread Loaf
A plate of thin gingerbread slices is a sweet way to end my old-fashioned Christmas dinner. I like it next to a bowl of one of my vintage holiday punch recipes at a holiday party. For a dessert tray, set it out with old fashioned spritz cookies and a few pieces of old-fashioned Christmas candy. On Christmas morning, it sits right beside a warm pan of old fashioned monkey bread.
FAQs
Is gingerbread loaf an old-fashioned recipe?
Yes. Soft gingerbread baked in a pan goes back at least to 1796, when Amelia Simmons included "Soft Gingerbread to be baked in pans" in American Cookery, the first American cookbook.
What's the difference between a gingerbread loaf and gingerbread cake?
Mostly the pan. A gingerbread loaf bakes in a loaf pan and slices like a quick bread, while gingerbread cake is usually baked in a square or round pan and often frosted.
Why did my gingerbread loaf sink in the middle?
Usually it came out of the oven too soon. Bake until a skewer in the center comes out clean, and measure the baking soda level, since too much can make the loaf rise fast and fall.
Can I use black treacle instead of molasses?
Yes. Black treacle works perfectly and gives the same rich flavor.
More Vintage Desserts
- Old Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake
- 25 Vintage Cakes That Taste Like Grandma's Kitchen
- Old Fashioned Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Grandma's Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms
- 25 Retro Holiday Dessert Recipes
- 30 Grandma's Favorite Fall Baking Recipes
Easy Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Warm the milk. Gently warm the milk without letting it boil. Stir in the baking soda and set aside.
- Cream. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, then mix in the molasses until fully combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk mixture. Mix gently just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Molasses: Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap. Black treacle works as a swap.
- Milk: Warm it until it feels warm to the touch. Don't let it boil.
- Make ahead: The flavor improves after 24 hours, so it's a great bake-ahead holiday treat.
- Storage: Wrap tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze whole or sliced for up to 2 months.
- To serve: Dust with powdered sugar, or serve a warm slice with salted butter.
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