Gingerbread Loaf Cake

20/12/2013 by thebakingexplorer 50 Comments

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This gorgeous spicy and golden Gingerbread Loaf Cake is full of flavour! It's deliciously moist and light too. The great thing about loaf cakes is how easy they are to make, and this gingerbread loaf cake is no exception. You can enjoy it with some cream or custard poured on top, but it's great on it's own too. While I would eat this cake any time of year, it is a great recipe for a Christmas bake or even a festive gift as the cake will keep for several days and can be frozen too.

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure your ingredients, particularly the eggs and butter, are at room temperature before you start baking.
You can use caster sugar instead of light brown soft sugar for this recipe if you prefer, or if you can't get hold of light brown soft sugar.
Mixed spice is a British spice blend containing cinnamon, coriander seed, nutmeg, clove, pimento and ginger. If you can't get hold of it, you can use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead. For this recipe, you can either omit it, or replace it with 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg.
Golden syrup is sold all over the world, so check the international section in your supermarket if you're not based in the UK. You can also buy it online from Amazon (see link below). If you can't get hold of it, light corn syrup is the closest thing to it. However, I've not tested this recipe with light corn syrup. You may also like to add 2 tbsp black treacle (also known as molasses) to darken the cake and make it more golden in colour.
You will need a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe (you can test the size of your loaf tin by seeing how much water the tin can hold, 2lb will hold about 2 pints/1100ml of water). If you have a 1lb loaf tin, simply halve the ingredient amounts.
For easy lining of the tin, use a loaf cake tin liner*.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

This Gingerbread Loaf Cake is part of a set of recipes put together by Schwartz. They have put together a selection of simple, traditional and tasty recipes that are all easy to make and delicious to eat. I've been using Schwartz spices for years and I'm a big fan of their range. They have a huge selection of spices which are perfect for baking.

How to make Gingerbread Loaf Cake

Start by melting the butter, golden syrup and light brown sugar together in a pan on a low heat. Once it melted, set it aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl stir plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger and mixed spice together.

To the golden syrup mixture, add the eggs and milk and whisk them in. Pour the mixture into the flour mixture and whisk well.

Pour the mixture into a lined loaf tin. Bake it for 1 hour until it is a rich gold colour and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

What size tin do you need for this recipe?

You will need a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe (you can test the size of your loaf tin by seeing how much water the tin can hold, 2lb will hold about 2 pints/1100mls of water). If you have a 1lb loaf tin, simply halve the ingredient amounts.

How do you know when the loaf cake is cooked?

The cake takes 1 hour to bake in my oven. When it is done it will be risen and dark goldenin colour. If you insert a thin skewer or cocktail stick into the centre, it will come out clean with no wet cake batter on it. If it is still wet after the baking time is up, give it another 10 minutes and check again. Or if it looks done 10 minutes before the baking time is up, check it using the skewer method. All ovens are different and even modern ovens can be a slightly difference temperature inside to what the dial says. An oven thermometer is cheap to purchase and will tell you exactly what temperature your oven is inside. If the cake is getting too dark on top, you can turn the temperature of the oven down slightly, or cover the top with foil to prevent it from burning. This cake need a low and slow bake to make sure it cooks all the way through, so don't be tempted to turn up the oven to try and rush it as this will most like lead to a burnt cake on the outside and raw cake batter inside.

How long does the loaf cake last for and can it be frozen?

The loaf cake will last for 5 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze it too. To freeze it, wrap the cake well in cling film or put it in an airtight container. Or you can slice it up and freeze it in slices, put small squares of baking paper between each slice to stop them from sticking together and making it easier to defrost one slice at a time.

Can this loaf cake be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the plain flour with a gluten free plain flour blend. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread and dairy free milk for the cake. Please do check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

What is the best way to line a loaf tin?

For easy and quick lining of the tin, use a loaf cake tin liner*, however if you don't have any of these you can use baking paper instead. Cut two pieces of baking paper, one wider piece and one longer and thinner piece. The wider piece will cover the two longer sides of the tin and the base, then place the longer thinner piece over the top of the first piece and cover the base again, and the smaller sides. Making a cross shape with the baking paper. I always grease the tin lightly before adding the liner or baking paper, as this helps to keep the paper in place and stop it from moving around when you add the batter.

Can this cake be made into cupcakes or a larger cake?

Yes, check out my Gingerbread Cupcakes recipe or my Gingerbread Cake recipe for details.

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

No, you can easily make this cake by hand. The dry ingredients and wet ingredients can be quickly combined with a hand whisk and it won't take much effort.

More tips for making the Gingerbread Loaf Cake:

Don't worry if the loaf cake cracks on top - this is normal.
I decorated the cake with an orange icing drizzle and some crystallised ginger, you can leave it plain or a drizzle of melted dark chocolate would be delicious too!
The cake does need an hour in most ovens, this sounds like a lot, but it's a very dense cake so baking it on a low temperature for a long time produces the best result. All ovens are different, so do check on it if it is getting too dark on top.

Troubleshooting

My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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