Fall in Love with a Gingerbread Loaf

How beautiful leaves grow old.

How full of color are their last days.

Gingerbread Loaf
Cook's notes: Gingerbread Loaf Cake is a delicious quintessential dessert that captures fall flavors. The addition of applesauce makes for a moist loaf, almost cake-like. A maple-flavored cream cheese frosting adds just the perfect flavor topping. It can be served as a dessert or as a breakfast item.
The recipe was labeled as a Copycat Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf Cake. I made some adaptations to the original recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons Saigon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons dried ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange extract or 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting Ingredients: 

• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 2½ cups confectioner’s sugar
• Milk
• Optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for topping

Loaf Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ Grease a loaf pan (9×5″), you could also use two mini loaf pans.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt, then set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter, and sugar until fluffy. Stir in orange extract or zest.
• Add baking soda to the applesauce and then stir into creamed butter mixture. Add in the flour mixture. Mix until smooth. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Icing Directions:

• Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and maple syrup. Slowly beat in confectioner’s sugar. Add milk as needed until right frosting consistency.
• Once the cake has cooled, evenly spread the frosting on top. Sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecan on top.