Easy Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
This incredibly moist gingerbread loaf uses treacle and warm spices to create deep, authentic flavor. Simple one-bowl method with minimal equipment needed.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 300 g treacle dark treacle preferred
- 225 g unsalted butter cold from fridge is fine
- 250 g whole milk cold from fridge is fine
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Dry Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour must be sifted
- 180 g granulated sugar white sugar, not brown
- 1 tsp baking soda check expiration date
- 1 tsp baking powder check expiration date
- 1 tsp salt omit if using salted butter
Spices
- 2 Tbsp ground ginger fresh spice recommended
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg freshly ground if possible
- 0.5 tsp ground cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Generously butter a 9x4x4-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhangs on the sides.
- In a medium saucepan, combine treacle and butter over medium heat. Stir occasionally until butter melts completely. Do not let it boil.
- Remove from heat and immediately pour in the cold milk. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, sift the flour. Add sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all spices. Mix well until evenly combined.
- After the 10-minute cooling period, crack the room temperature eggs into the treacle mixture. Whisk vigorously until completely smooth and glossy.
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk until you have a completely smooth, thin batter with no lumps. The batter will be very liquid - this is correct.
- Optional: For a bakery-style crack, pipe a thin line of softened butter down the center of the batter using a plastic bag with the corner snipped off.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes without opening the oven door.
- Test for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If wet batter appears, bake for another 5-10 minutes.
- Leave the loaf in the pan to cool completely. Once cool, lift out using the parchment overhangs.
Notes
Storage: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. For longer storage, slice and freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.
Flavor Development: This loaf tastes even better after 1-2 days as the spices meld together.
Substitutions: Can use golden syrup instead of treacle, but swap granulated sugar for brown sugar. Molasses is not recommended as a direct substitute.
Serving Suggestions: Serve sliced with butter, or pan-fry buttered slices until golden and crispy.