The Ultimate Sticky Gingerbread Dessert: A Festive Loaf Cake Recipe

For us, few things capture the spirit of Christmas quite like the warm, spicy fragrance of gingerbread baking in the oven. That wonderful combination of ginger, cinnamon, and rich treacle evokes memories of cosy winter nights, glowing fires, and happy times with loved ones. If you are on the hunt for the ideal sweet bake to complete your seasonal celebrations, you have certainly come to the right place. We are delighted to share what we believe is the ultimate Gingerbread Dessert: a gorgeously moist, dark, and sticky loaf cake, finished with a zesty cream cheese frosting. It truly is the taste of festive comfort in every mouthful.

This recipe elevates the humble gingerbread from simple biscuits to a genuine showpiece pudding. It is straightforward enough for a casual afternoon of christmas baking, yet elegant enough to be the star of your Christmas dinner table. Cast aside any thoughts of dry, brittle gingerbread from your past; our method ensures a wonderfully squidgy texture that lasts for days, becoming even stickier and more delicious as time goes on. Let’s pop on our aprons and create some festive magic in the kitchen.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Exceptionally Moist and Sticky: By using a perfect blend of black treacle and golden syrup, this loaf cake achieves a wonderfully dense and squidgy consistency that remains fresh.
• Full of Festive Spices: We incorporate a generous mix of ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to deliver a deep, warming flavour that is the very essence of Christmas.
• Effortlessly Easy to Prepare: This is a simple “melt and mix” method. You won’t require any special gadgets or expert baking knowledge to get a flawless result.
• Ideal for Making in Advance: The flavours in this gingerbread dessert actually deepen and improve over time! You can bake it a day or two ahead, which helps to ease the pressure of your festive preparations.
• Adaptable and Always a Favourite: It is delightful served simply with a cup of tea, enjoyed warm with a splash of custard, or decorated with our zesty cream cheese frosting for an extra-special treat.

Ingredients

To bake this gorgeous gingerbread dessert, we’ll be using a selection of key ingredients that combine to achieve that classic dark, sticky, and spicy finish. Here is what you will need:

• • 125g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 100g dark muscovado sugar
  • 75g black treacle
  • 75g golden syrup
  • 250g plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 large free-range egg, beaten
  • 200ml whole milk

• For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Gingerbread Dessert

Creating this festive loaf is a truly satisfying experience. We have broken down the method into simple, clear steps to make sure your bake is a huge success.

Creating the Gingerbread Loaf Batter

1. Preheat and Prepare the Tin: To begin, preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C Fan / Gas Mark 3). Grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin generously with butter, then line it with baking parchment. We find the easiest way is to use one long strip that covers the base and long sides, with a bit of overhang to make removing the cake easier.
2. Melt the Syrups and Sugar: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, dark muscovado sugar, black treacle, and golden syrup. Warm them gently over a low heat, stirring every so often until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is a smooth, dark liquid. Take care that it does not come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and leave it to cool for around 10 minutes.
3. Sift the Dry Ingredients: While the treacle mixture cools, take a large mixing bowl. Sift the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the bowl. Sifting is a key step as it helps to remove lumps and aerates the flour, which contributes to a lighter bake. Give the dry ingredients a quick whisk to mix the spices evenly.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Form a well in the middle of your dry ingredients. Pour the cooled treacle mixture into it. In a separate jug, whisk the beaten egg into the milk. Add this to the bowl as well. Using a large spoon or spatula, carefully fold all the ingredients together until you have a smooth, relatively thin batter. Be sure not to overmix; stop as soon as you can no longer see streaks of flour.

Baking the Loaf to Perfection

1. Into the Oven: Pour the smooth, glossy batter into your prepared loaf tin, levelling the surface with the back of a spoon. Place it on the middle shelf of your preheated oven and bake for 45–55 minutes.
2. Check if it’s Cooked: To test if the loaf is ready, insert a skewer or a cocktail stick into the very centre. If it comes out clean, your gingerbread is baked through. If it has wet batter on it, pop it back into the oven for another 5 minutes and test again.
3. The Cooling Process: After baking, let the loaf cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes to allow it to set. Then, use the parchment paper overhangs to gently lift it out onto a wire rack to cool down completely. It is vital that the cake is entirely cool before you attempt to add the frosting!

Making the Cream Cheese Topping

1. Combine Butter and Cream Cheese: In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer to beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until they are smooth and fully combined. Using room temperature ingredients is key to avoiding a lumpy frosting.
2. Incorporate Sugar and Vanilla: Gradually add the sifted icing sugar, mixing on a low speed initially to prevent a sugar dust cloud in your kitchen! Once it is mostly combined, turn up the speed and beat until the frosting becomes light and airy. Finally, mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Decorate Your Cake: When the gingerbread loaf has cooled completely, use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to spread the frosting liberally across the top. We love creating rustic swirls for an attractive, homemade finish.

Planning Your Festive Menu

Our gingerbread dessert makes a wonderful conclusion to any festive dining experience. It offers a warm, spiced comfort after a savoury main course. While a traditional roast is a classic choice, it can be nice to vary the menu. For a wonderfully light and simple main course, you might like our tasty Bruschetta Chicken, which has a fresh and vibrant flavour. For something more substantial that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, our creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe is a fantastic option before you serve this incredible christmas dessert.

Top Tips for the Best Bake

We want your gingerbread dessert to be nothing short of perfect. Here are a few extra tips from our kitchen to help you get the very best results:

• Avoid Over-mixing: When you over-mix batter, it develops the gluten in the flour, which can result in a tough cake. For a soft and tender crumb, only mix until the ingredients are just incorporated.
• The Role of Treacle: Black treacle is vital for achieving that signature dark appearance and rich, slightly bitter note that balances the sweetness. Its acidity also reacts with the bicarbonate of soda, giving the cake its lift. To learn more about how leaveners work in baking, we recommend this great article from King Arthur Baking.
• The Importance of Cooling: We really can’t say this enough! Trying to frost a cake that is still warm will only lead to a melted, sloppy mess. Be patient and allow it to reach room temperature first.
• How to Store: This cake keeps exceptionally well. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. You’ll find it becomes even stickier and more flavourful with each passing day!

FAQ

A Festive Treat to Share and Enjoy

And there we have it – a straightforward yet truly impressive gingerbread dessert that we hope will become a cherished part of your festive traditions. The experience of baking this loaf, and filling your home with the delightful scent of Christmas, is nearly as enjoyable as taking that first delicious bite. This is as much a recipe for making memories as it is for making a cake.

We sincerely hope you have a wonderful time making and sharing this sticky gingerbread loaf. It is the ideal partner for a hot cup of tea on a chilly afternoon and the perfect centrepiece for your Christmas dessert spread. We would be thrilled to see your bakes! Please share a picture of your gingerbread dessert on social media and tag us, or drop a comment below to tell us how it went. Happy baking!

Recipe Card

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• For the Gingerbread Loaf:
• 125g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 100g dark muscovado sugar
• 75g black treacle
• 75g golden syrup
• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 large free-range egg, beaten
• 200ml whole milk
• For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C Fan / Gas Mark 3). Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. In a saucepan, gently melt the 125g butter, dark muscovado sugar, black treacle, and golden syrup over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Whisk the beaten egg into the milk. Pour the cooled syrup mixture and the egg/milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold everything together with a spatula until just combined into a smooth batter.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tin and level the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before carefully lifting it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7. To prepare the frosting, beat the 50g softened butter and the cream cheese together until smooth. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla extract.
8. Once the gingerbread loaf is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top and serve.