Gingerbread Loaf Recipe with Chocolate

A gingerbread loaf recipe blended with the richness of a classic chocolate quick bread. Glazed with a simple icing, and dusted with warm spices, this chocolate gingerbread cake is a fun way to get the flavor of classic gingerbread and rich cocoa all in a tender, sweet and spiced quick bread.

Warm spices and the smell of cakes, cookies, and other treats baking in the oven are a hallmark of the holiday season. In my house, that means things like pumpkin streusel cake, shoofly pie, maple cream cookies, and of course, at least one iteration of gingerbread. Sometimes the kids want gingerbread cookies to decorate for Santa, sometimes, mom (me) wants a moist slice of chocolate gingerbread cake.

This decadent cake combines the familiar flavors of gingerbread spices with the decadence of a chocolate bread. It’s a type of quick bread, so there’s no yeast or waiting to worry about. In just over an hour a warm chocolate gingerbread loaf is out and ready to glaze.

Gingerbread Loaf Ingredients

Though the recipe is very simple to get together, it does require a specific set of ingredients to make that delicious chocolate gingerbread cake flavor we’re going for.

• All Purpose Flour – The base for all the delicious gingerbread cocoa flavor, is plain old useful flour.
• Cocoa Powder – Blending cocoa in with the flour gives the cake just enough chocolate flavor.
• Granulated Sugar – Enhances the sweetness without overpowering the other spices and flavors.
• Dark Brown Sugar – Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than regular or light brown sugar, which enhances the gingerbread flavor in this quick bread.
• Molasses – An intense syrup that’s created during the sugar refining process (making granulated sugar), it’s a natural byproduct, and very powerful!
• Heavy Cream – The fat and liquid that adds necessary moisture.
• Oil – Fat that helps moisture and texture.
• Eggs – Binding and moisture, room temperature eggs are essential!
• Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Salt – The combo of spices that makes the gingerbread flavor happen!
• Baking Powder – What makes this chocolate gingerbread a quick bread is the use of a chemical leavening agent. Gives it rise and structure.

How to Make Chocolate Gingerbread

Quick breads like this one are popular in so many of our kitchens for good reason. This one uses the straight mixing method, meaning you just dump dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix. At the end of things you’ll have a delicious moist loaf of chocolate gingerbread to snack on.

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prep a loaf pan with a cooking spray or a thin coat of butter and flour.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients (NOT THE SUGAR) into a bowl. That includes the flour, cocoa, spices, and leavening agent, whisk to combine.
3. Add all the sugars, eggs, oil, and heavy cream to another, larger bowl and whisk until smooth.
4. Gently add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and using a spatula or wooden spoon fold and stir gently until the flour is just blended.
5. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Cover the pan with foil and continue baking for 25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes, then carefully remove from pan onto cooling rack.

Cooking Tips

• To avoid high edges on your loaf (like the edges bake higher than the middle), coat the loaf pan only one third of the way up the sides.
• If your cocoa powder is lumpy, sift it into the flour to avoid dry spots of cocoa powder in the final bake.
• Don’t dump the dry into the wet, the cocoa powder will cloud up and make a mess, just gently spoon in.
• The easiest way to make this is by measuring the ingredients via a kitchen scale, less dishes, more accurate, and fast.

The Glaze – Ingredients + Process

It’s my opinion – and I’m POSITIVE you’ll agree – that there’s nothing better than a sweet sugary icing on a gingerbread cake. In the interest of simplicity, this glaze is just a few ingredients, then you dust the top with some simple spices and boom, good to go!

1. When your gingerbread cake has cooled for 30 minutes or so prepare your icing.
2. Combine a cup of powdered sugar with a tablespoon of cornstarch in a sifter, and sift into a bowl. Add in 5 tablespoons of heavy cream and stir until smooth and glossy.
3. Drizzle over cake.
4. Combine cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and ginger in a small bowl and sprinkle generously over the top.
5. Wait for the icing to set, then slice and enjoy!

Icing Tips

• The icing sets quickly due to the cornstarch, so don’t make this too far ahead or it won’t be as easy to spread.
• If your icing is too thin, simply add a little more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more cream, a tablespoon at a time, until a thick glue like consistency.
• Ice the cake while it’s still slightly warm (but not hot), and the icing will seep into the cracks at the top and create this delicious gooey layer under the crust.
• Place a few paper towels under the cake and cooling rack when icing for easiest clean up.

FAQ’s

Other REcipes you may enjoy

For other delicious quick bread recipes….

• Types of Quick Breads
• Pecan Blackberry Coffee Cake
• Homemade Drop Biscuits
• Cornbread Muffins
• Rosemary Olive Oil Cake

For more Gingerbread inspired deliciousness, check out these recipes from my favorite blogger friends:

• Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe from Melissa at The Olive Blogger (YUM! Coffee and biscotti please!)
• Gingerbread Blondies from Jennifer over at Foodess (Chewy, spiced, gingerbread bars that will knock a brownie right out of the water!)
• Gingerbread Waffles from Leanne at Crumb Top Baking (Who says we have to wait for dessert?!)

I hope you and your family enjoy this chocolate gingerbread loaf recipe, it truly is a treat that we enjoy all throughout the holiday season. It’s a nice break from pumpkin spice, and a quick and easy quick bread that comes together simply.

Is gingerbread one of your favorite holiday flavors? I’d love to hear! Until next time, Happy Eating!

Chocolate Gingerbread Loaf

Mikayla M.

Chocolate Gingerbread Loaf – a warm, spiced cocoa treat for the holidays.

4.57 from 16 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course bread, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 -10

Calories 571 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Chocolate Gingerbread Loaf

• ▢ 9 oz AP flour 2 cups
• ▢ 1 oz cocoa powder heaping 1/4 cup
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ 3/4 tsp ginger
• ▢ 3/4 tsp nutmeg
• ▢ heaping 1/4 tsp cloves
• ▢ Full pinch of salt
• ▢ 3 oz dark brown sugar 1/2 cup, firmly packed
• ▢ 4 oz granulated sugar 1/2 cup
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 6 oz vegetable oil 2/3 cup
• ▢ 2.5 oz molasses 1/4 cup
• ▢ 4 oz heavy cream 1/2 cup

For the Glaze:

• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 Tbs cornstarch
• ▢ 5 Tbs heavy cream
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• ▢ 1/8 tsp ginger

Instructions

 

For the Bread:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan*
• In one bowl measure your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, spices, and salt. Whisk to combine.
• In a second, larger, bowl combine both sugars, eggs, oil, molasses, and milk. Beat with whisk or sturdy spoon until eggs are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
• Carefully add the dry ingredients into the wet bowl. (Just dumping it in will create a mess, so gently add it!). Using a sturdy spoon or rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients in. When the flour is mostly incorporated, leaving only small lumps in the batter, it’s finished.
• Pour into your loaf pan. Place in oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. Cover after 30 minutes with foil for the remaining bake time.
• When the toothpick comes out of the center clean or the cake has a springy top, remove from oven.
• Allow to cool in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

For the Glaze:

• When the bread has cooled for at least 30 minutes, sift powdered sugar and cornstarch together in a bowl. Stir as you add in the heavy cream and continue to add until the consistency is that of light glue.
• Place a plate or paper towel under the loaf, then pour the icing over the top, allowing it to drip over the edges.
• Mix together the cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and ginger in a separate, small bowl. Using your fingers or a spoon, sprinkle the mixture over the top of the wet icing.
• Allow to cool and slice when ready to serve.
• Store in an airtight container until ready to eat!

Notes

*If your loaf pan is smaller be sure to only fill it 3/4 of the way. This can also be baked in a cupcake pan or a mini loaf pan with a reduced baking time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 571kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 5gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 252mgPotassium: 406mgFiber: 2gSugar: 47gVitamin A: 406IUCalcium: 143mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Original Post 11/7/2017, Updated 10/8/2019