Winter Favorites

Gingerbread Loaf

Source: Found on Pinterest

New Recipe Christmas 2018

Ingredients

  • ½ c. butter, softened
  • 1 c. white sugar
  • 1 c. unsweetened applesauce
  • 1-1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose white flour
  • 2 t. ground cinnamon
  • 1 t. ground cloves
  • 2-1/4 t. ground ginger
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting (if using)

  • 1-1/2 Tbls. butter
  • 1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 t. vanilla
  • 2-3 Tbls. milk

Instructions

Line a 9 x 5-inch bread loaf pan with nonstick foil and spray with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar, then add applesauce.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until blended.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let sit 10 minutes in pan, then carefully lift foil to remove bread and transfer to baking rack to cool.

If using frosting, in a medium bowl cream together butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth and spreadable. Spread over cooled loaf. Allow to set up for 1 hour.

Wrap leftovers in foil (carefully so you don’t smash the frosting). If freezing, don’t frost right away, wrap in Saran Wrapm then foil and place in ziplock bag. Thaw and frost before serving.