Copycat Starbuck’s Gingerbread Loaf
Apparently I am all about them copycat Starbucks loaf recipes lately. I shared a recipe recently for the Starbuck’s Lemon Loaf and I promised I would share the recipe for their gingerbread loaf. This one took a little longer to get on the blog than I initially had planned on. The truth is, I wasn’t real crazy with my first attempt. It wasn’t as moist as I had wanted. And I made WAY too much frosting for one loaf – not that I’m complaining 😉
Homemade and moist
After realizing it needed something to help make it more tender, I went back to the drawing board. It turns out that it really needed some applesauce. Actually, apple butter would be amazing if you have that on hand. It added that additional moistness without adding a bunch of oil.
And I scaled back on the frosting just a bit so you don’t have a ton leftover. Again, not a problem from my perspective. 🙂 Side note: if you have fresh nutmeg – use it here. Freshly grated nutmeg has the best flavor but the pre-grated nutmeg will do the job in this.
Ingredients:
for the loaf:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup apple butter (or applesauce)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
chopped walnuts, for topping (optional)
for the frosting:
1/2 block (4 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray (the kind with flour in it – like Baker’s Joy.) Using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the vanilla and the egg. Blend in the apple butter (or applesauce.)
Slowly add the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.)
When everything is mixed, pour the batter into your loaf pan. Bake for about 55 minutes until it is risen and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely on a rack before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese with the vanilla and then add 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Add a little more sugar if it’s not as thick as you like. 
Spread a thick layer of the frosting over the gingerbread cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Then dig in!
Enjoy!
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup applesauce, or apple butter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- chopped walnuts, for topping (optional)
- 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 block), room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray (the kind with flour in it - like Baker's Joy.)
- Using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and the egg. Blend in the applesauce.
Slowly add the flour, baking soda and spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.) When everything is mixed, pour the batter into your loaf pan.
- Bake for about 55 minutes until it is risen and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on a rack before frosting.
Beat the cream cheese with the vanilla and then add 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Add a little more sugar if it's not as thick as you like.
- Spread a thick layer of the frosting over the gingerbread cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Then dig in!
Recipe Video
Don’t forget to check out my Copycat Starbuck’s Lemon Loaf!
Starbuck’s Cranberry Loaf Cake
Looks SO scrumptious! I am in love with fresh grated nutmeg too. Thanks for sharing! I am especially fond of quick breads..and this one is very unique.
Thank you SO much Mrs. B!
Sounds yummy. I have never had the Starbucks one, but your recipe sounds amazing!
Hope you love it Kelly! I feel like every time I am actually at Starbucks – they have already sold out! Ha! So now we can make it at home!
Loved this bread before I was vegan. Now I will veganize it so I can enjoy it again!
Love that! Make it your own 🙂
Is there a gluten free version of this?
I’m sorry Shay – I’m not on a gluten free diet so I can’t offer one. 🙁
You can buy Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour with the xanthum gum already in it, in a large bag for around $8 at SAMs Club. I use it 1:1 like regular flour.
Just made this gluten-free with Bob’s 1:1 baking flour and it was beyond amazing!! Had it today for Christmas eve breakfast and have slices ready for tomorrow. Was worried as I’m new to a gluten-free diet and usually everything tastes like cardboard, but this bread is plenty moist and delicious with that substitution. Thank you for this amazing recipe which is sure to become part of our holiday tradition!!
I love loaf breads! I do wonder though, do we have to use applesauce in it? I have none right now.
Hi there!
Would love to add this to my Christmas baking treats! Do you think it could be frozen with the icing on?
Thanks!
I love the Starbucks version I will definitely make this this holiday season.
Beyond delicious! I am so pleased with the flavour.
What is Clove?
It is a spice…ground cloves in the spice aisle. Whole cloves are harder to find.
Would be wonderful with raisins throw in, I think.
I would add a couple of Tablespoons of oil and replace some of the applesauce with buttermilk powder, yum. It will be very moist.
If you really want it to be like the Starbucks Gingerbread loaf, add chopped, candied orange peel to the top of the cream cheese frosting instead of nuts. This recipe looks delicious.
Honestly this is WAY better than starbucks. I added a splash of milk to the icing and didnt add any nuts to the top. This was fabulous. Will be making this again very soon.
Oh My Goodness – this is truly the BEST Gingerbread I EVER tasted!!! I did make a small adjustment – I was making a double batch – I added 3/4 cup (because that was all I had) and reduced the applesauce to equal the 2 cups requested for a double batch!
Thanks for an awesome recipe! I made it to give away as small loaves and am trying to remind myself that I “can always make more!” so that I won’t keep it all at home!
*3/4 cup Molasses
Did you add molasses?
Do you think this can be made in a bread machine? I’m new to bread machine and would like to try this recipe in it, does anyone know in what order the ingredients would go in?
I’m making this recipe at this very moment & I had to come back to check the recipe because I thought there had to be a mistake as there is no liquid anything except the applebutter (I just happened to have one last pint from the previous batch I canned! YuM!!). When I watched the video – which I did not do before – I see your batter is very thick also! I can’t wait to try this! Thanks so much for sharing your recipes.
This looks SO good!
FYI the salt has been left out of the printable recipe.
Salted butter was used, no need to add extra salt.
What adjustments for altitude of 6500 feet.?
Hi Arlene, I am not familiar with high altitude baking, I’m sorry. Perhaps there is an online guide on how to make adjustments for higher altitudes?
Is this a denser, thicker cake that would hold its shape if it were cooked in a decorative shaped pan? Or would it fall apart?
Hi Rebecca, it should hold its shape in a decorative loaf pan. 🙂
How would you adjust the baking time and temp is you used mini loaf pans?!
Does the icing harden?