Orange Gingerbread Loaf

Nothing says Christmas like gingerbread! And this orange gingerbread loaf is like Christmas in a cake. The citrus tones complement the ginger flavours, making it deliciously moist, tender and full of warm festive spices.

Ingredients

To make gingerbread loaf:

• 1/3 cup molasses

• 1/3 cup warm water

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 4 Tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1 1 /2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cups coconut sugar

• 1 teaspoon orange zest

• 1/2 cup Olive oil

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

To make orange glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered icing sugar, sifted

• 3 Tablepoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Spray & line a 9x5 loaf tin and set aside.

2. Mix the molasses into the warm water and set aside.

3. To make the cake flour, measure 2 cups of all-purpose flour and add to a medium size mixing bowl. Remove 4 tablespoons of the flour and add in 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl once, then pass it through the sifter one more time.

4. Add the baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt to the flour and mix together. Set aside.

5. Using an electric mixer, whisk together the orange zest and coconut sugar until the sugar resembles wet sand. Add in the oil and whisk until well combined.

6. Mix in the egg and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Whisk in the molasses mix and mix until well combined.

7. Add in the flour mix and buttermilk to the wet ingredients a little at a time, alternating dry mix, buttermilk, dry mix, buttermilk, dry mix. Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin, spreading evenly and smoothing the top of the batter.

8. Bake for 45 minutes or until the edges of the loaf have pulled slighly from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the toothpick comes out wet, the loaf may need an extra 10 minutes bake time.

9. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool in the tin. Remove the loaf from the tin and place onto a cooling rack.

10. To make the orange glaze whisk together the powdered sugar and the orange juice. Pour the glaze on the gingerbread loaf at room temperature and allow to set. Slice and enjoy!