I developed this gingerbread loaf cake last year for a partnership, but it never made it onto the website. So here it is! The optional mascarpone whipped cream breaks up the rich spiciness of the cake, but you could also just enjoy it toasted with your morning coffee. And since there’s no butter (which doesn’t hold onto water as well) stays ultra-moist from the olive oil and the molasses. It doesn’t, however, taste like olive oil.

Every oven bakes differently, so I always recommend getting an oven thermometer to make sure your bake time is as close to mine as possible. I also recommend using a light-colored aluminum 9×5-inch tin for baking. If you only have glass or ceramic, that’s fine, the loaf just might take longer to bake. Also, a digital instant read food thermometer can help you be absolutely sure the middle of your cake is done, and is more accurate than a wooden skewer stuck in the middle.

There are two tips to keep in mind when making the mascarpone whipped cream topping: 1) Under-mixing is better than over-mixing, as beating the mixture too much will cause the water to weep out of the cheese and the cream to split. 2) Using poor quality mascarpone can lead to a grainy whipped cream topping, so opt for the good stuff.

Want more recipes like this gingerbread loaf cake? Try these…

• Ultra-Moist Banana Bread
• Turmeric Carrot Cake Loaf
• Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
  

Did you make this gingerbread loaf cake? I want to see! Tag me @easygayoven on Instagram and TikTok.

Gingerbread Loaf Cake

Print Recipe

Gingerbread olive oil loaf cake with mascarpone whipped cream and olive oil drizzle

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Keyword cake, gingerbread

Active Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 293 grams
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 160 grams
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 5 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup olive oil 177 milliliters
• 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses 255 grams
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 large eggs
• 8 ounces cold mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons honey 42 grams
• 3/4 cup cold heavy whipping cream 177 milliliters

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9×5-inch loaf tin by greasing with butter or baking spray. Line it with parchment paper so there’s an overhang on the long sides. This makes it easier to lift out of the tin.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• To a small mixing bowl, add the sugars, cinnamon, ginger, eggs, olive oil and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
• Combine hot water with molasses until mixed.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and, using a flexible rubber spatula, fold the them together. Continue mixing, ensuring you’re scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl, until the last streaks of flour disappear.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin. With a butter knife, draw a line, lengthwise, down the middle of the batter. This encourages the bread to crack down the center as it bakes and rises.
• Bake on the middle rack for about 20 minutes then turn down the temperature to 350°F and bake 30-35 more minutes or until the top is deep golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The internal temperature of the loaf should be between 200-210°F.
• Let the loaf cool in its tin for 5 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the mascarpone cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, stir the mascarpone with the honey just to loosen it up slightly.
• With the mixer running on medium speed, pour in the heavy cream. Continue whisking just until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Do not over-whisk or you will curdle the cream.
• Top slices of the loaf cake with mascarpone cream. Drizzle with olive oil.

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