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Festive Gingerbread Loaf
Gingerbread loaf is one of my favorite things to bake during the fall and winter months.
I just love ginger in general. Fresh, ground, and crystallised ginger all make lovely additions to chocolates, candies, and baked goods (and are pretty crucial in constructing gingerbread houses, too!) Gingersnap pie and tart crusts always a favorite, and I also love making these carrot-ginger gummy candies.
Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice
Made with molasses, brown sugar, and warm autumn spices, and packed with walnuts and caramelised pears, my gingerbread loaf is the quintessential holiday bake.
This recipe is fairly simple and straightforward to prepare. Although caramelising the pears requires a bit of extra effort, I promise it’s well worth the trouble!
This gingerbread loaf with walnuts and caramelised pears is sort of halfway in between a bread and a cake. I think it’s perfect for any time of the day. I had some for breakfast (slightly warm with butter on top) and also enjoyed a slice with a cup of tea in the mid-afternoon.
Caramelising the Pears
The brown sugar-caramelised pears go a long way in making this recipe special. Don’t skip or rush this step! The pears will take about 10-12 minutes to fully caramelise, and when done they should look a little something like this:
Gingerbread Loaf Tips and Tricks
If you cannot find molasses, black treacle (such as Lyle’s Black Treacle Syrup) can be substituted in this recipe.
If desired, pecans can be used in place of walnuts. If you are baking for someone with nut allergies, you can also omit the nuts from this recipe entirely.
This gingerbread loaf will keep well at room temperature for 4-5 days. It is also ideal for freezing, either as a whole loaf or in individual portions. I sliced mine and wrapped the slices in foil before stashing them in the freezer for another day.
Other autumn recipes you might enjoy:
Parsnip Cookies
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Caramels
Spiced Pumpkin Butter
And if you make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Gingerbread Loaf with Walnuts and Caramelised Pears
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
Made with molasses, ginger, walnuts, caramelised pears, and warm autumn spices, this gingerbread loaf is the quintessential holiday bake.
Ingredients
Caramelised Pears
30 grams butter (2 Tablespoons)
3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 whole cardamom pods
3 small pears (about 80 grams each), cored and diced
Bread
100 grams butter (6.5 Tablespoons)
65 grams dark brown sugar (1/2 cup)
65 grams demerara sugar (1/3 cup)
100 grams molasses (1/3 cup)*
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
200 grams self-rising flour (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Caramelised pears (see above)
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
25 grams chopped walnuts (1/3 cup)**
Instructions
Caramelised Pears
In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium-high heat.
Stir in the cardamom pods.
Add diced pears and cook, stirring frequently, until nicely caramelised, about 10 minutes.
Remove cardamom pods and discard.
Transfer pears to a bowl to cool, allowing any of the leftover butter/sugar mixture to remain in the pan.
Bread
Preheat oven to 180° C / 355° F. Line a 5 x 9 in (12 x 23 cm) loaf pan with parchment. Spritz with non-stick cooking spray, and set aside until ready to use.
In the same saucepan, melt butter, dark brown sugar, and demerara sugar over medium heat, stirring gently until the sugars have melted.
Remove from heat and stir in the molasses, followed by the vanilla bean paste.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
Gently fold butter-sugar mixture into dry ingredients.
Add the egg, milk, and oil, stirring gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
Gently stir in the caramelised pears, fresh grated ginger, and chopped walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a knife or cake tester comes out clean.
Cool bread in pan on wire rack, then slice and serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. This bread also freezes well.
Notes
*Or, substitute black treacle
**If desired, pecans can be used in place of walnuts. If baking for someone with nut allergies, you can also omit the nuts entirely.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: Bread
