Gingerbread Loaf 🎄

This new year, give your friends and family the gift of good food! This gingerbread loaf is a nutrient-dense take of a holiday classic. The recipe uses less refined ingredients, such as maple syrup instead of granulated sugar or whole wheat flour instead of white flour. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Loaf

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients:

For Gingerbread Loaf:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour

• 1 tbsp ground ginger

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt 🧂

• 2 eggs large 🥚

• 3/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened 🍎

• 1/2 cup molasses

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 3 tbsp avocado oil (or any mild tasting oil, such as vegetable oil)🥄

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For Glaze (optional):

• 1/2 cup icing sugar

• 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp orange juice 🍊

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, add flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. whisk well until there are no lumps

3. In another medium-sized bowl, add eggs, applesauce, molasses, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

4. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and mix gently with a spatula (just enough to combine or until you see no more white flour pockets). Do not stir vigorously or overmix.

5. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.

6. Remove the load from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. then transfer the load to a cooling rack to cool off for 1 hour (ensure that the loaf is cooled completely if using icing).

7. FOR THE GLAZE: coat gingerbread load in honey glaze by drizzling small amounts of honey or maple syrup on a pastry brush and brushing on top or in a small bowl, whisk the icing sugar and orange juice until smooth and drizzle on top.

8. Cut gingerbread load into 12 slices using a serrated knife.

9. Enjoy!