Gingerbread Loaf

 "Before you go out into the world, wash your face in the clear crystal of praise. Bury each yesterday in the fine linen and spices of thankfulness."

- Charles Spurgeon
 

I love ginger. Some of my favorite recipes are full of the stuff. This time of the year it's just fitting. When the weather outside is cool, ginger just warms me from the inside. It's definitely fall around here. The leaves are falling from the trees, the air is crisp, the seasons are changing.
 
 

This gingerbread loaf is one of those great recipes I turn to over and over again. It's full of delicious warm spice that gives you a big hug from the inside. Moist and full of ginger, it also gets some great flavor from the molasses and brown sugar.

Lots of ginger in this recipe, fresh and dried, the fresh ginger I grated on the microplane to get very fine. Freezing the ginger first assures the ginger gets grated finely and doesn't just turn to mush.

 

 

This recipe makes one loaf. You can easily double it to make 2, give one to a friend or freeze a loaf to remove from the freezer when you want something yummy on the fly. Quick bread such as this freezes very well. Just make sure you wrap it good. Meaning wrap it 3 times with plastic wrap then place it in a gallon size zip top plastic bag. Wrapped super awesome like that, it will last for at least 6 months.

 

Cinnamon, allspice and cloves gather together with the ginger to provide lots of warm spice

Thanksgiving is almost here! Can you believe it? November is the month of being thankful. My sisters are posting something they are grateful for everyday on facebook. What a nice tradition to focus on it for a whole month instead of just one day. I've started writing everyday in my gratitude journal. Something I had put aside and forgotten about. I am really grateful for having this blog to express my creativity. I am SUPER grateful for all of you readers, I really do appreciate you being here. A heartfelt thank you from me to you.

The batter

 

More Ginger Goodness

 

Ginger Molasses Skillet Cake - This cake is amazing!

 

Triple Ginger Cookies - These chewy cookies are spicy and full of 3 kinds of ginger.

 

Rhubarb Ginger Bars - These buttery bars are divine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vintage Arnold Wiggs Mint Green Dish, Tablecloth with Leaves, and Hand Embroidered Napkins, available at my Etsy Shop, House of Lucien.

 

 

Speaking of House of Lucien, I'm having a November sale! Take 15 % off your entire purchase through November! Enter coupon code, NOV2012. Coupon will expire Dec. 1st.

I ship worldwide and offer free gift wrapping, for any occasion.

 

House of Lucien now has a Facebook Page where everyday I share a quote and highlight an item

from my shop, called Today's Treasure. I'd love to see you there!

  

 

Gingerbread Loaf

Adapted from Chow

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (225 g.) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger on a microplane (peel the ginger first) (freeze the ginger first to make it easier) or very finely chopped

1/2 cup (118 ml) well-shaken buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 tablespoons butter (114 g.) (1 stick), at room temperature

1 cup packed (200 g.) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (118 ml) molasses

2 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 180 degrees Celsius, Gas Mark 4.

 

 Grease a 9-inch-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter, dust with flour, and tap out excess.

Combine flour, dried ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and cloves in a large bowl. Whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside. In a separate medium bowl, stir together buttermilk, vanilla, and freshly grated ginger until combined.

Combine butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in molasses until well combined then add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until well incorporated.

Stop mixer and scrape bowl and paddle (mixture may look separated and curdled). Add one third flour mixture beating on low speed just until flour is incorporated. Add half buttermilk mixture and once batter is smooth add another third flour mixture. Add remaining buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Add remaining flour mixture, and beat until incorporated and smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and cake is pulling away from sides of pan, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.