Easy Homemade Gingerbread Loaf Better Than Starbucks
This Starbucks-inspired gingerbread loaf is soft, perfectly spiced, and topped with a sweet glaze. It tastes just like your favorite coffee shop treat, made at home. ✨
Servings 8
Ingredients
For the loaf:
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup apple butter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp nutmeg
For the frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese 1/2 block, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ – 2 cups powdered sugar
- chopped walnuts for topping (optional)
Instructions
For the loaf:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray that has flour in it, like Baker's Joy.
- Using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, mix together the butter and sugar until it becomes fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg, then mix in the apple butter.
- Gradually add the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg). Once everything is mixed, pour the batter into your loaf pan.
- Bake for about 55 minutes until the loaf has risen, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Let it cool completely on a rack before adding frosting.
For the frosting:
- Whisk the cream cheese with the vanilla, and then mix in 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If it's not thick enough, you can add a bit more sugar.
- Spread a generous layer of the frosting over the gingerbread cake. Optionally, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. Now, you can slice it and serve it!