I made this gingerbread loaf last Christmas. It’s a great alternative to gingerbread cookies, but I did grow up with ginger, hard for me to hate. This recipe was given to me by a friend, and she’s been using it for years. I do not know where I got it, but it is delicious. The texture is a cross between bread and cake. It was soft, but not too moist. Nice firm and delicious exterior. We used the square pan instead of a loaf pan, and we had to take it earlier than described. Easy and good.

GINGERBREAD LOAF

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup hot water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Greased and flour one 9 inch square pan or loaf pan.
2. Cream together the sugar and butter or margarine. Add egg, and beat well. Mix in the molasses.
3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and clove. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; add the hot water, and mix well.
4. Pour batter into pan and bake for one hour. Allow to cool in pan and serve.