This blog is sponsored by City Avenue Market
Can you hear it?
Better yet, can you smell it?
I sure can! The Christmas baking has commenced in many households, including mine, and very possibly yours as well!! Cinnamon + ginger, shortbread cookies fresh out of the oven. I can smell all the gorgeous sweetness in the air.
Cookies, cakes and bread, you name it and I’ll eat it. I’ve never met anything gingerbread that I didn’t like!! This spicy gingerbread loaf is topped with cream cheese icing which in itself is heaven!!
Why is gingerbread synonymous with Christmas?
I read in Epicure and Culture that European royalty in the 17th century only permitted gingerbread making by specially trained gingerbread guild members. And only during the Easter and Christmas season.
It was Russia where gingerbread designs became increasingly more detailed.
The Hansel and Gretel folk story that dates back to the early 1800’s is very possibly why Gingerbread houses became a popular Christmas family activity. People were intrigued by the candy house and wanted to replicate it.
Who loves making ginger spiced Christmas anything?
Well, let’s get at it – Spicy Cinnamon Loaf!!
The season of giving is officially here – this recipe pairs very well with entertaining and gifting to friends.
2 C Flour
1 tsp Baking soda
2 tsps Ginger, ground
1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Allspice
¼ tsp Salt
½ C Butter, unsalted
⅓ C Brown sugar
1 Egg
2 tsps Vanilla
¾ C Molasses
¾ C Hot water
2 C Cream Cheese
2 C Icing sugar
2 tsps Vanilla
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon allspice and salt.
Next, in your mixer add in butter and brown sugar and let it rip on high for about a minute. Slow the mixer down and add in the egg and vanilla and scrape down the sides.
In a separate bowl, mix together molasses and hot water.
Let’s mix all the things together in the mixer!
In the mixer, starting with the flour mixture, on low speed, mix in a ⅓ of the flour until well blended. Next add in a ⅓ of the molasses mixture and repeat until all ingredients are blended together.
Pour the thin batter into the loaf pan. Bake at 325 for approximately 50 minutes. Test with a toothpick in the center of the loaf and if it comes out clean, it’s ready!
Let the Spicy Gingerbread Loaf cool before taking it out of the pan and before you ice it with the Cream Cheese Icing.
In your mixer, on high speed, mix together the icing sugar, cream cheese and vanilla. Whip it good!
Have butter and cream cheese at room temperature for best results
Sift icing sugar for the cream cheese icing
If cream cheese icing isn’t your thing (what!!!!) you can make a simple glaze
Add in crystallized ginger pieces to kick up the spicy level!
BIG LOVE!!
All ingredients for this recipe you can find at all 3 City Avenue Market locations – New Westminster, Port Coquitlam + Commercial Drive
