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Whether you're a novice baker or have a whole holiday repertoire, this Starbucks gingerbread loaf is the perfect winter treat to add to your baking list.
Getty Images, Jamie Thrower for Taste of Home
You never have to ask me twice to make a seasonal dessert! I’ll take any excuse to whip up a batch of winter treats, whether it’s sugar cookies for classic holiday decorating or baking mini loaves to share with friends. This year, I created a copycat Starbucks gingerbread loaf recipe that’s the perfect addition to my holiday baking.
This two-bowl recipe has all the holiday vibes you’re looking for. Served in thick slices with a nice layer of frosting, it’s as delicious with your morning coffee as it is after dinner for a sweet treat.
Microplane: This classic kitchen tool is perfect for grating the orange zest and nutmeg in this Starbucks gingerbread loaf, but it will come in handy for all kinds of recipes.
Offset Spatula: Use this simple tool to make your frosting look like it came from a bakery.
Silicone Spatula: A sturdy spatula is my most-used kitchen item. You’ll need it for scraping the bowl while mixing and evening out the top of the batter in the pan.
Directions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and fresh grated nutmeg. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the batter
Jamie Thrower for Taste of Home
Using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg, and mix well. Blend in the applesauce and orange zest.
Gradually add the flour mixture a third at a time, mixing just until combined each time. Pour the batter into the oiled loaf pan and even out the top with a rubber spatula.
Step 3: Bake off loaf
Jamie Thrower for Taste of Home
Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when you test the center of the cake. Let it cool slightly in the loaf pan on a cooling rack. Then run a small knife around the edge of the pan to make sure it won’t stick, and turn the loaf over onto the rack to cool completely before frosting.
Step 4: Make the cream cheese frosting
Jamie Thrower for Taste of Home
Using the stand mixer or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the vanilla. Add the remaining orange zest and 1-1/2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, and beat until smooth and creamy. You can add a bit more sugar if it’s not thick enough.
Spread a heavy layer of frosting over the gingerbread cake, smoothing it out with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired.
Here’s What I Thought
Jamie Thrower for Taste of Home
I can’t wait to make this loaf cake again! It’s easy to make, not overly sweet and delicious.
As with most baked goods, make sure your butter and egg are at room temperature before starting. If you don’t have any room temperature butter, try these tricks to soften butter quickly. And when it comes to mixing the butter and sugar, make sure to whip it long enough that they fully come together and the texture becomes creamy. All of this will help give your loaf the perfect light texture.
This cake smells so good while it’s in the oven that you’ll want to frost it and dig in right away. But you never want to frost a warm cake! The frosting will fall off and melt. While your cake is cooling you can pull out the cream cheese so it has plenty of time to come to room temperature.
This cake is great in slices, and I think it would also be fun to make as mini loaf cakes in a pan like this. You could also get creative with the toppings and try chopped pecans or hazelnuts instead of walnuts, or add in some chopped candied ginger. This recipe is a keeper!
My family loves this comforting chai tea latte recipe, especially on cold days instead of cocoa or when they're feeling under the weather. I simplified this chai tea recipe by using the filter basket of our coffeepot. It's delicious and great after dinner! —Julie Plummer, Sykesville, Maryland
Get Our Recipe for Chai Tea Latte
You can make Starbucks cranberry bliss bars any time you please with this step-by-step copycat recipe. It makes an entire pan of bars that taste just like the real deal. —Molly Allen, Hood River, Oregon
You can substitute Gruyere cheese for the Swiss and ham for the bacon, or add in small-cut veggies to these copycat Starbucks egg bites. I also like to bake these in small Mason jars for fun single-portion presentations. Serve with avocado slices and fresh fruit for a healthy breakfast. —Maria Morelli, West Kelowna, British Columbia
I love caramel frappuccinos from Starbucks, but they get too expensive. I now make my own, and they are just as good. If you blend the milk with all the other ingredients, it gets too foamy—instead stir it in with a spoon after all the ice is crushed. —Heather Egger, Davenport, Iowa
On a busy morning, these freezer breakfast sandwiches save the day. A hearty combo of eggs, Canadian bacon and cheese will keep you fueled through lunchtime and beyond. —Christine Rukavena, Taste of Home Senior Editor
Cold brewing reduces the acidity of coffee, which enhances its natural sweetness and complex flavors. Even those who take hot coffee with sugar and cream might find themselves sipping cold brew plain. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Who has time to make from-scratch bagels? You do, with this easy recipe! The chewy golden bagels offer a hint of honey and will win over even the pickiest eaters. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
You can easily indulge in a coffeehouse-quality drink at home anytime. With whipped cream and a butterscotch drizzle, this mocha treat will perk up even the sleepiest person at the table. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
I created a copycat Starbucks gingerbread loaf that’s the perfect addition to my holiday baking. Served with a thick layer of frosting, it’s delicious with a cup of coffee. —Risa Lichtman, Portland, Oregon
When my sister introduced me to iced coffee, I wasn’t sure I’d like it. Not only did I love it, but I decided to start making my own iced coffee recipe. This easy version is a refreshing alternative to hot coffee. —Jenny Reece, Lowry, Minnesota
My family always asks for this love-me-tender lemon loaf cake. Sometimes, I shake things up and make cupcakes with the batter. So awesome for brunch! —Lola Baxter, Winnebago, Minnesota
Homemade granola layered with fresh fruit and yogurt makes a superb breakfast. Sometimes I skip the parfait step to enjoy it on a hikes or picnics.—Donna Speirs, Kennebunk, ME
Coffee granules enhance the chocolate flavor in these amazingly fudgy brownies. Add chocolate chips to the batter and you’ve got some seriously irresistible treats. —Sarah Farmer, Waukesha, Wisconsin
The flaky layers of laminated dough and a sweet, cheese filling in the center make this Danish a natural to pair with hot coffee or tea. It’s as delicious for breakfast as it is for a late-night snack. —Nancy Mock, Colchester, Vermont
Cold-brew lattes are all the rage at coffee shops, but they're so easy to make at home. This coconut cold-brew version is ridiculously refreshing and it's vegan! —Natalie Larsen, Columbia, Maryland
Skip the line and bake Starbucks pumpkin bread in your own kitchen. This copycat recipe may be even better than the original! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Each winter in early February my friends and I gather for an outdoor show called Mittenfest. We skip the Bloody Marys and fill our thermoses with these hot cocoas instead.
This quick bread is a family favorite, so I always try to have ripe bananas on hand for this recipe. I'm sure your family will love this tasty, nutty bread as much as mine does. —Susan Jones, La Grange Park, Illinois
Make spirits bright with a minty mocha to share under the mistletoe or around the piano. I’ve also stirred in coffee liqueur instead of peppermint. —Lauren Brien-Wooster, South Lake Tahoe, California
I have always loved iced tea with lemon, and this irresistible thirst-quencher takes it one step further. The lemonade gives this refreshing drink a nice color, too. —Gail Buss, New Bern, North Carolina
I love serving this blueberry scone recipe to visiting friends and family. I always make sure a have a few in the freezer. Just pop a frozen scone in the microwave for 20 seconds or so. —Joan Francis, Spring Lake, New Jersey
I first made this recipe back in 1987 and have since made it many times over the years because it's my children's favorite muffin recipe.
—Wendy Stenman
My soothing white hot chocolate is a great warm-up after a wintry day spent sledding or ice skating. Or include it as a festive addition to brunch or an afternoon tea party. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
My take on the classic cookie is inspired by a bakery in California called Hungry Bear. It's big, thick and chewy—truly the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. —Irene Yeh, Mequon, Wisconsin
Risa Lichtman is a chef and writer living in Portland, Oregon. She is the owner/chef of Lepage Food & Drinks, a small food company featuring Jewish seasonal foods, providing takeaway all around Portland. She has previously published poems in Poetica Magazine, the anthology The Art of Bicycling, Maggid: A Journal of Jewish Literature, and The Dos Passos Review. She lives with her wife Jamie, their dog Isaac, and their cat Sylvia. Follow her at @risaexpizza, or find her delicious food offerings on @lepagefoodanddrinks.