This healthy gluten free gingerbread loaf is soft and has a rich ginger and molasses flavor. Top this holiday bread with an easy White Chocolate Mascarpone topping – a dreamy combination!
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Make Space on your Holiday Baking List!
Move over banana bread, the holidays are all about deep spicy flavors! If you think gingerbread cookies are the only option, you haven’t tried this delicious gingerbread cake!
If you’re a gingerbread fan, you’ll adore this dark, spicy loaf. It’s gluten free, made with healthier oat and almond flours, and sweetened with blackstrap molasses and maple syrup.
Blackstrap Molasses is a thicker version of molasses, with a high mineral content. It has a good dose of iron, potassium, and calcium and magnesium, making it a healthier option for sweetening your holiday desserts. I prefer the extra rich flavor as well!
I use pumpkin puree to keep it light and soft, without using too much oil. Use applesauce, if that’s what you have on hand.
Ingredients for Gluten Free Gingerbread Loaf
- Almond Flour
- Oat Flour
- Arrowroot Flour
- Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg – or your favorite holiday spice blend!
- Baking powder, soda, and sea salt
- Pumpkin puree
- Eggs
- Blackstrap Molasses (this is a less processed, richer form of molasses – look for it at health food stores!)
- Maple Syrup
- Coconut Oil
Make a Dreamy White Chocolate Mascarpone Topping
Mascarpone cheese is Italian cream cheese, and has a lighter, fluffier texture. Whipped with some melted (sugar free) white chocolate, it makes a delicious topping for cakes! Higher in protein, and lower in sugar than frostings and glazes, it also has a light and creamy texture that compliments but doesn’t overwhelm the cake.
- Mascarpone Cheese
- White chocolate (I use sugar free white chocolate chips)
How to Make Gluten Free Gingerbread
Step 1: Add the pumpkin, blackstrap molasses, eggs, coconut oil, and maple syrup to a bowl, and whisk to fully combine.
Step 2: In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the flours, spices, and baking powder, soda, and salt. Mix together well.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the whisked wet ingredients, and stir just until fully combined.
Step 4: Line a standard sized loaf pan with parchment, and pour in the cake batter. Smooth over the top.
Step 5: Bake the gingerbread for 40 minutes. The center might be slightly sunk in, but don’t worry! It keeps the bread moist and rich.
Step 6: In a mixing bowl, add the mascarpone cheese, and whip until light and fluffy. Drizzle in the melted white chocolate, and continue whipping for 2-3 minutes, until you see the mixture getting thicker and fluffier. The white chocolate starts to solidify in the mixture and makes it super light and thick.
Step 7: Once the loaf has cooled, top it with the whipped White Chocolate Mascarpone, and then refrigerate it for about an hour to let is set prior to slicing the loaf. Decorate it with mini white chocolate chips, if desired.
Choosing Gluten Free Flours for Quick Breads
My favorite gluten free flours to work with are almond flour and oat flour.
Neither of these ingredients has to be expensive. Costco carries large bags of almond flour — one will last through all your holiday baking!
I use store bought oat flour for this recipe, but if you don’t have any, just process oats in a blender until a fine flour forms. This will give the loaf a little more texture, but it will still be wonderful.
Arrowroot flour is an easily digestible starch that helps bind gluten free baked goods. You can substitute tapioca flour or corn starch, if necessary.
Make Your Perfect Gluten Free Gingerbread Loaf
- Make it Gluten Free: Be sure to use certified gluten free oats, if necessary. Almond flours is already be gluten free. If you are not sensitive to gluten, any oat flour is fine.
- Make it Ahead: This loaf freezes beautifully! I have frozen a whole loaf and defrosted in the refrigerator overnight, and have also frozen (already frosted) slices and pulled them out in the evenings for dessert.
- Make it Dairy Free: This loaf is already dairy free, but the topping is not. Use a dairy free cream cheese, and sweeten lightly with maple syrup. You can also use a simple powdered sugar glaze, or leave the loaf plain.
Other Gluten Free Christmas Baking Ideas
- Ginger Cookies (soft & chewy!)
- Gluten Free Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Healthy Gingerbread Muffins with Pumpkin
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Gluten Free Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup pumpkin
- 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or sub gingerbread spices
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
White Chocolate Topping
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 3 1/2 ounces white chocolate (I use sugar free chocolate chips), melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add pumpkin, eggs, blackstrap molasses, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Whisk to combine. Ensure ingredients are room temperature to keep the coconut oil from solidifying.
- In another mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients, and mix together well.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined.
- Either line a loaf pan with baking paper, or grease it with coconut oil. Add the batter to the pan, and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the center of the loaf is fully cooked.
- Allow to completely cool before slicing. Store in the fridge for up to a week, or wrapped air tight in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When cool, frost with White Chocolate Mascarpone topping, if using.
White Chocolate Mascarpone
- In a mixing bowl, add the mascarpone cheese, and whip until light and fluffy.
- Drizzle in the melted white chocolate, and continue whipping for 2-3 minutes, until you see the mixture getting thicker and fluffier. The white chocolate starts to solidify in the mixture and makes it super light and thick.
Notes
- Make it Gluten Free:Â Be sure to use certified gluten free oats, if necessary. Almond flours is already be gluten free. If you are not sensitive to gluten, any oat flour is fine.
- Make it Ahead:Â This loaf freezes beautifully! I have frozen a whole loaf and defrosted in the refrigerator overnight, and have also frozen (already frosted) slices and pulled them out in the evenings for dessert.
- Make it Dairy Free:Â This loaf is already dairy free, but the topping is not. Use a dairy free cream cheese, and sweeten lightly with maple syrup. You can also use a simple powdered sugar glaze, or leave the loaf plain.
Nutrition
Other Gluten Free Christmas Desserts:
- Easy Chocolate Christmas Cake, by Cotter Crunch
- Dark Chocolate Mint Macaroons, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Gingerbread Cupcakes, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Topping, by Sunkissed Kitchen
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This is exactly what I needed right now — some tips for making the holidays a bit easier! I’m like you, I always think it isn’t too much work and then I pile on more than I can handle. I can’t imagine trying to plan and prep everything with a little one around, too!
This gingerbread loaf sounds super yummy — and it looks nice and dense (in a good way). I’ll have to add it to my to-make list, if I think I can squeeze it in!!
It will still be good after the holidays, if you need to hold off on making one more thing 🙂
Oh my goodness, that thick layer of frosting on top is downright gorgeous!
(My husband’s best friend’s wife worked at Melting Pot when she was in college, and taught me all her fondue secrets. It’s a New Years Eve staple for us, now!)
Fondue is so much fun– working there I really learned it’s not all that difficult either! Just a lot of prep, and then work during the actual dinner too 🙂
I’m all about these tips for the holidays! I really need them. I’ve been trying to make large pots or casseroles for dinner so that we have leftovers. Thanks also for the giveaway!
Leftovers are so important this time of year! I have really been needing hot lunches 🙂
This Gingerbread loaf looks crazy good. I can already imagine myself having a big piece of this goodness with a cup of tea. Yum!
Yum– it goes wonderfully with tea!
I am SO excited to try this! Gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday treats. Being gluten-free can be so limiting, so I get extra excited when I come across recipes like this. And that frosting looks AMAZING!!!
I actually had made you a loaf Rose! And I made you my granola bars, all with certified gluten free ingredients. If you come see us in Bend, you can have them 🙂 They are in my freezer.
Thanks for sharing my Paleo Pumpkin Bundt Cake recipe!
It looks amazing Shanti!
This gingerbread loaf looks absolutely delicious, Michelle! Pinning it so I can try it later. Love your tips for simplifying your holiday meals. I needed that, I always try to do too much and eventually get stressed out.
I do too! I needed my mom to point out the reality of what I was trying to do this year. The simplified dinner will still be great, and I will have more time to enjoy my family. Hope you get the chance to try the gingerbread– it’s a great recipe.
Mmmm….. it looks so yummy! Have you considered delivering it? wink wink 😉
We need one of those Willy Wonka televisions 🙂
Dates are great to use in a loaf like this as it makes the loaf so moist
I love love love gingerbread, and the recipe’s already gluten free?! Perfect!
what a scrumptious treat and with all those warm spices perfect for the holiday season!
I know this is an old post, but did anyone actually make this? It’s so frustrating to search the comments for experiences cooking a recipe, and it’s only been rated on the pictures. I will probably try it anyway…