Gingerbread Loaf Orange Icing (Printable)

Moist spiced gingerbread loaf with sweet and zesty orange icing, ideal for cozy winter moments.

# What You Need:

→ Gingerbread Loaf

01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking soda
03 - ¼ tsp salt
04 - 1½ tsp ground ginger
05 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - ¼ tsp ground cloves
07 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - ½ cup packed brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - ½ cup molasses
12 - ½ cup whole milk
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Orange Icing

14 - 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
15 - 2–3 tbsp fresh orange juice
16 - 1 tsp finely grated orange zest

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat unsalted butter and packed brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
04 - Incorporate eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
05 - Stir molasses, whole milk, and vanilla extract into the batter until smooth.
06 - Gradually fold the dry spice mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined; avoid overmixing.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, and grated orange zest until smooth and pourable; adjust orange juice quantity for desired consistency.
09 - Drizzle the orange icing over the cooled loaf and allow it to set before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely foolproof—no fancy techniques, just straightforward mixing that happens to taste like someone spent all day on it.
  • The orange icing cuts through the spice in the most elegant way, making each slice taste a little bit bright.
  • One loaf feeds plenty of people and somehow tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter, even slightly, is the quickest way to end up with a tough, dense loaf instead of a tender one—mix only until combined, then stop.
  • Room temperature ingredients cream together infinitely better than cold ones, so plan ahead and let your eggs and butter sit out for twenty minutes before you start.
  • The loaf actually tastes noticeably better on day two or three, when all those spices have had time to settle and deepen—don't judge it on first slice.
03 -
  • If you ever crack open a jar of molasses and forget you have it, this recipe is your perfect reason to use it up—molasses is your secret weapon for baking that tastes impossibly good.
  • The orange zest is worth grating fresh right before you make the icing; it loses its brightness quickly and makes an almost unnoticeable difference in the final taste.

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