This post contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This whole grain gingerbread loaf is moist, soft, and decadent! Flavored with ginger and molasses, then topped with a rich cream cheese glaze, you’ll want this ginger quick bread every single day.
We have a steady rotation of quick breads coming out of my kitchen, depending on the season.
It is not uncommon to find a lemon zucchini loaf on the counter in the summer, and homemade pumpkin bread is a fall staple. Of course, chocolate chip banana bread is a regular year-round.
My newest favorite this holiday season is a spicy, sweet whole-grain gingerbread! It has that classic gingerbread flavor from warm spices and molasses, but the cream cheese glaze really makes it something special.
What I love about quick breads is that they are so versatile! They make a delicious addition to breakfast or a quick and easy snack, but they are decadent enough for dessert.
You may just want to double this recipe so you have enough for breakfast, dessert, and afternoon tea! You really can’t go wrong enjoying this ginger loaf any time of the day.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy bake: I just love quick bread recipes! They require minimal ingredients and are so easy to whip up in just a few spare minutes. This gingerbread is no exception!
- Seasonal flavors: This ginger loaf is perfect for fall and Christmastime! It tastes like a gingerbread cookie, but with the cream cheese glaze, it’s even better.
- Whole grains: You probably know by now that I’m a huge fan of whole grain flour, and I love milling my own. This ginger loaf is light and delicate like regular breads, but it’s packed with your daily dose of whole grains.
Ingredients
- Whole grain flour: You can mill your own or buy whole grain flour (all purpose will also work). I used hard white wheat berries, and it turned out beautifully light and tender. Learn how to mill flour in my full tutorial!
- Baking soda: For the perfect rise in this delicious quick bread.
- Cinnamon, ginger, allspice: We’ll add plenty to give this loaf all of the warm spiciness of traditional gingerbread.
- Brown sugar and molasses: For sweetness, with a richer flavor and more moisture than plain cane sugar can offer. You can use light or dark brown sugar, and be sure to opt for regular unsulphured molasses.
- Butter, eggs, and milk: Produce a beautifully moist and spongy loaf of bread!
- Vanilla extract and salt: Two essentials for a yummy quick bread (just ask my whole grain blueberry bread!)
- Glaze: A combination of cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar makes a rich and tangy glaze that perfectly complements the gingerbread.
How to Make Whole Grain Gingerbread
Step 1. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt.
Step 2. Add the wet ingredients
Pour in the brown sugar, melted butter, molasses, vanilla, eggs, and milk. Stir until everything is well combined. The batter will be thick and smooth.
Step 3. Bake the gingerbread
Pour the batter into a greased cast iron loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 4. Make the glaze
While the gingerbread bakes, beat the cream cheese and vanilla together in a medium bowl using a hand mixer until creamy.
Step 5. Make the glaze
Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and spreadable.
Step 6. Frost and serve
Let the gingerbread cool completely before spreading the glaze over the top. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- If you’re new to whole grains, I strongly recommend investing in a good grain mill. I’ve tried several, and once I started using the Mockmill professional grain mill, my whole grain baked goods were so much better.
- Out of brown sugar? Don’t worry; you can make your own with just cane sugar and molasses! Simply mix 1 cup of sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses until it comes together and looks like brown sugar.
- Be careful not to overmix your bread. Once the ingredients are thoroughly combined, stop stirring to keep the bread light and not dense.
- On a similar note, don’t overbake your bread! When you perform the toothpick test, you shouldn’t see any raw or gummy batter on it, but finding a few crumbs is okay.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this bread freezes very well, but you’ll want to leave it unglazed. Once the bread is cool, store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. Allow it to thaw at room temperature and add the glaze before serving.
You can! If whole grain flour isn’t your thing, you can use all purpose flour without any measurement conversions. Simply swap the flour at a 1:1 ratio.
No — any bread pan will work for this recipe. We just love cast iron!
It doesn’t! With fresh milled hard white wheat berries, it is light and airy, just like an all purpose loaf.
This is the Perfect Christmas Sweet Treat!
Do you have a favorite Christmas treat? I love this gingerbread, so we can get our sweet fix and call it breakfast at the same time! Besides, who doesn’t love ginger!
I think I am going to make some of my iced ginger cookies because, well, why not! It’s the holiday season after all!
Now, if you’re more of a fruit-and-citrus kind of person, my whole grain cranberry orange scones are another festive favorite this time of year!
Related Recipes
- Whole Grain Pumpkin Roll
- Apple Cider Cake
- Whole Wheat Sweet Bread Recipe
- Whole Grain Cinnamon Rolls
- Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you tried this Whole Grain Gingerbread recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Whole Grain Gingerbread
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread:
- 2 cups hard white wheat berries milled into flour (or all purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter melted
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
For the Glaze:
- ½ block cream cheese 4 oz, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients: Pour in the brown sugar, melted butter, molasses, vanilla, eggs, and milk. Stir until everything is well combined. The batter will be thick and smooth.
- Bake the gingerbread: Pour the batter into a greased cast iron loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Make the glaze: While the gingerbread bakes, beat the cream cheese and vanilla together in a medium bowl using a hand mixer until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and spreadable.
- Frost and serve: Let the gingerbread cool completely before spreading the glaze over the top. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Feel free to use all purpose flour in place of whole grain flour. You can substitute it at a 1:1 ratio.
- If you’re new to whole grains, I strongly recommend investing in a good grain mill. I’ve tried several, and once I started using the Mockmill professional grain mill, my whole grain baked goods were so much better.
- Out of brown sugar? Don’t worry; you can make your own with just cane sugar and molasses! Simply mix 1 cup of sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses until it comes together and looks like brown sugar.
- Be careful not to overmix your bread. Once the ingredients are thoroughly combined, stop stirring to keep the bread light and not dense.
- On a similar note, don’t overbake your bread! When you perform the toothpick test, you shouldn’t see any raw or gummy batter on it, but finding a few crumbs is okay.
I had great success with this recipe using hard white wheat! Fresh milled recipes have been a little hit or miss with my kids but they loved this and so did I! Thank you!
This just warms my heart to hear! I am so happy you loved it!
i love this recipe! made it with hard white wheat as you recommended!
Yay! I am so happy you loved it!
Soooo good!
Thank you so much!