Gingerbread Loaf Cake is the perfect holiday treat: sweet, moist, loaded with warm spices and so easy to make. Double or triple the recipe for a delightful homemade gift for neighbors and friends.

Ring in the holidays with this easy Gingerbread Loaf Cake. Moist, dense cake baked with molasses and warm spices with a lovely vanilla spice drizzle on top.

Now my neighbors and friends know my secret recipe to their holiday goodies.

Every year I drop off a loaf of this along with a container of my homemade hot cocoa mix to wish them Happy Holidays, Cool Yule, Merry Christmas, Good Luck with Finals, etc.

I used to do plates of different kinds of cookies and fudge. A few years ago I simplified and just made just the two things.

I triple the recipe below for the simple reason I have three loaf pans. I bake up three, pull the loaves out of the pans using the aluminum foil and immediately start another batch while the pans cool.

Is it Cake or Quick Bread?

There are plenty of explanations of the differences between cake and quick bread, with some even saying cake is a quick bread. There were discussions of specific ingredients, texture, crumb, etc.

I think the best differentiation for me was from Land O Lakes:

more fat and sugar = cake
beat the fat, sugar and eggs then add dry ingredients = cake
mix ingredients altogether by hand = quick bread

Since, I prepared this like a cake but baked it in a loaf pan I am calling it a "loaf cake".

Quick Bread Directions: Put all of the ingredients except icing in a large mixing bowl, stir until moist, bake as directed.

Recipe

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Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
½ cup molasses
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ cup hot water (scant)

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk or cream
1 dash each of ginger, cinnamon and cloves (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8½ x 4½ loaf pan with aluminum foil with at least a few inches folded over the top. Grease along sides and bottom.
In a large bowl, beat oil and sugar for 1 minute on medium. Add egg and mix for 2 minutes on medium. Add molasses and mix until combined.
Sift flour and then measure in to a medium bowl. Add soda and spices. sift three more times or stir with a whisk for about 30 seconds.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients about ⅓rd at a time, scraping sides of bowl and fully incorporating each time. Add hot water. BATTER WILL BE THIN!
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and lift bread out of the pans using the excess aluminum foil. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
When loaf is cool, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk until it is thick but able to be poured over the loaf and slowly drizzle down the sides. If desired mix in a sprinkle or two of ginger, cinnamon and cloves.