Description
A warm and cozy spiced gingerbread loaf with a creamy vanilla bean cream cheese spread, perfect for autumn and winter.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment. Scrape the vanilla bean and set the seeds aside for the frosting.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until evenly combined. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the molasses, hot water, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 60–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the loaf from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the cream cheese frosting, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and scraped vanilla bean seeds until smooth and creamy. Once the loaf is fully cooled, spread the vanilla bean cream cheese evenly over the top. Slice and serve.
Notes
Best served at room temperature. Pairs well with coffee, black tea, or a spiced latte. For extra indulgence, serve warm with whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 44g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg