Orange Gingerbread Loaf

Some might say I'm way too early, but why not celebrate gingerbread season for as long as possible? It's most def my favorite season and I just can't wait any longer. Something about the dark — almost burned — flavor of molasses combined with warm ginger and spices is just perfection for my palate. In this recipe, I combine the warm and dark flavor of gingerbread with a complimentary zing of citrus. 

A few years ago I made a gingerbread loaf that was absolutely delicious, but I had long forgotten where I found the recipe. I searched and searched for the loaf on my favorite blogs, but couldn't find it anywhere. Finally, I found a gingerbread loaf recipe that I had pinned ages ago from Cook Nourish Bliss. I knew it was the one I had baked before when I saw the domed, crunchy, sugary topping. It was everything I want in a quick bread recipe. 

I also love this recipe because it doesn't include any granulated sugar and calls for plenty of spices, which I love. For a contrasting and equally festive flavor, I decided to add some orange zest and juice to the original recipe. If you'd prefer a plain gingerbread loaf without the orange, feel free to omit it. (But let's be honest, why would you want that?)

Let me know what you think of the recipe and dont forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Time: 1 hour

Makes: 1 loaf of bread

Serves: About 10 slices of bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• Gingerbread spices

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)

• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

• 2 large eggs

• 1 packed tablespoon orange zest (from about 2 navel oranges)

• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from about 1 navel orange)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• A few tablespoons of granulated or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Steps

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, spices, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together applesauce, maple syrup, molasses, coconut oil, eggs, orange zest and juice and vanilla until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, using a spatula to fold until just combined. Transfer the batter to a lightly oiled 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of coarse or granulated sugar on top and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Dig in!

Sustainability Tips

• Flours: King Arthur is my absolute favorite brand of flour because they are a B Corp, which means they need to meet super strict environmental and social standards. 

• Maple syrup: Buying your maple from a local provider is the best way to be more connected to your food. If you buy locally, you can ask the provider any questions you have about producing honey or syrup, and your sweetener won’t emit as many climate-changing greenhouse gases during travel.

• Eggs: Local eggs are really easy to find if you look for them. Buying locally means your eggs won't have to travel as far, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.

• Oranges: Your best option here is to grow the oranges yourself, but any local oranges are a great option. Also, be sure to make this recipe during the winter because that's when oranges are in season. This way, your oranges won't have to contribute as much to GHG emissions during travel.