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Seasonal Recipes / Fall Recipes / Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf

Dairy FreeGluten FreeVegetarianBy Aimee Niedosik  Published: 09/29/2021  Updated: 12/13/2021
Jump to Recipe

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf – I love making this Healthy Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf during the fall. It is perfect for a Halloween treat-and-great, for Thanksgiving and perfectly versatile. You can serve this recipe for Gingerbread Loaf warmed up with a little coconut butter for breakfast, for a quick snack or a decadent dessert.

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf

Load up this Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf with Vegetables!

I actually first got the idea for this recipe from Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook, Deceptively Delicious.

I think Jessica Seinfeld’s idea to add fruit and vegetable purees to all sorts of recipes is brilliant. Actually, bestselling author Missy Chase Lapine did this first in her book Sneaky Chef. I have Missy’s book too and I absolutely love it just as much as Jessica’s.

Over the years I have discovered that I can make my recipes even more nutritious by using superfoods. I tend to reach for flaxseeds, hemp seeds, nut milks, vegetable purees and more. Once you start experimenting, it really is amazing how many super healthy foods you can manage to add to your recipes.

One Thing to Keep in Mind…

But, here’s the deal. Just because you sprinkle some flaxseeds into your cake batter or mix half a cup of carrot puree in a meatloaf that serves 8 does not necessarily mean your recipe is then truly, intrinsically healthy. This is the same problem people have when trying to figure out whether or not a packaged food is healthy or not. The thing is, the majority of the ingredients used in a recipe (or packaged food) need to be healthful in order for the food to be considered healthy.

My goal when creating a recipe is to use as many health-promoting, nutrient-dense ingredients as I possibly can without sacrificing taste. Of course this is often easier said than done…especially when making desserts.

But this recipe for Gingerbread Loaf turned out absolutely delicious and I even give you some tips to make it a decadent dessert.

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf

How Can You Make a Healthy Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf? 

As with all recipes here at Clean Cuisine, we have created easy swaps that will make your recipes healthier and cleaner. You certainly don’t have to read through all of these swaps. However, a little education as to why we do what we do is helpful for you to understand why these swaps are so important.

#1: Reduce the Sugar by Using Coconut Sugar

The most obvious thing to do is to reduce the sugar. Your average gingerbread calls for a most unhealthy 2 cups of sugar. I managed to reduce the sugar to only 1/2 cup coconut sugar, and 1/4 cup molasses. Coconut sugar is an unrefined sugar that still contains all of its vitamins and minerals. Plus I added molasses, which at least contains trace minerals like iron, zinc, chromium and copper. 

But not to worry, I promise my healthy recipe for Gingerbread Loaf still tastes sweet as pie! In fact, I bet you could even reduce the sugar by another 1/4 cup and not notice the difference.

As a side note, there’s an interesting “sweet point” phenomenon I’ve experienced when making desserts… you actually only taste the sweetness up to a certain point. After you reach the critical “sweet point” adding more sugar doesn’t necessarily make the dessert taste much sweeter.

2. Be sure to use whole grain, gluten-free flour.

Your conventional recipe for gingerbread loaf calls for all-purpose flour. Which is highly processed, fiber-less and enriched with synthetic nutrients. But, why use any nutrient-poor and refined all-purpose flour at all? You can still get an amazing tasting cake by using 100% whole grain gluten flour!

Try King Arthur’s Measure-for-Measure Whole Grain Gluten Free Flour. It is the most nutritious one I have seen on the market and also has fiber, which many all-purpose gluten free flours are lacking.

3. Add freshly grated ginger

In Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine, ginger is known as the “universal remedy”. Fresh ginger has potent anti-inflammatory properties and is also rich in antioxidants. Plus, fresh ginger also adds a richness you just can’t get from bottled ground ginger.

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf

4. Swap Refined Oil for Coconut Oil

Low-quality refined oil is one of the most harmful foods that can be consumed. Unfortunately, it lurks everywhere, and are the most popular cooking oils. Try Nutiva’s Organic and Unrefined Coconut Oil for cooking and baking.

5. Add in Hidden Fruits or Vegetables

To this recipe, I used 1 cup of pumpkin puree, but free free to be creative. You could also add in 1 cup of butternut squash or carrot puree instead. It’s not any healthier, just less work on my part. 

6. Swap the Dairy for Nut Milk

I swapped the heavy cream or cow’s milk for organic nut milk. I did this because I’m not a fan of milk. Coconut milk or homemade almond milk contains important plant-based phytochemicals not found in any animal foods, including milk. And, the nut-based milk makes the recipe for gingerbread loaf ultra moist.

7.  Add in Superfoods

I also added 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds to give my gingerbread loaf a healthy omega-3, fiber and phytochemical kick!

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf

Turn This Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf into Dessert

To make this delicious and hearty recipe for Gingerbread Loaf into a decadent dessert requires just a few more steps. It’s truly the perfect fall dessert.

#1: Make a Batch of our Homemade Caramel Sauce

Most caramel recipes are filled with ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, milk, artificial colors, and much more that we simply don’t want in our bodies. Our delicious Caramel Sauce Recipe is incredibly easy to make from home, and requires only two ingredients!

#2: Saute a Fresh Chopped Apple

Just turn on your stovetop to medium heat and in a small skillet, add about 1 tablespoon of organic coconut oil. Add the apples and saute for about 3-5 minutes until softened. Add a little flavor by drizzling 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup.

#3: Make These Easy Candied Pecans

I always make a double batch because while chopping them up for dessert, I am definitely snacking on these delicious candied pecans recipe.

To serve this recipe for Gingerbread Loaf for dessert, just drizzle with the homemade caramel sauce, top with the sauteed apples and chopped candied pecans. Enjoy!

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Print

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf
Print Recipe

Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf is healthy and delicious. Made with pureed pumpkin, naturally sweetened and a boost of Omega-3’s.

  • Author: Ivy Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 6-8 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups gluten free flour
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 organic, pastured egg
  • 1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup nut milk*
  • 1/3 cup organic coconut oil, melted and cooled
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat or line with unbleached parchment paper a 9×5 inch loaf pan, a 9×9 or a 9×13 baking pan with extra virgin coconut oil. A loaf pan is great for gingerbread while a 9×9 or 9×13 will spread out the gingerbread dough to make gingerbread cake.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, flaxseeds, baking soda, fresh ginger, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt; set aside.
  3. To a high speed blender, add the sugar, coconut oil and egg; process until smooth and creamy. Add the pumpkin puree, nut milk, coconut oil, molasses and vanilla extract and process again until ingredients are well blended.
  4. Add wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
  5. Pour the batter into the baking pan and smooth the top. Bake on the middle rack in the center of the oven until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before turning the cake out onto a rack to cool completely.

Notes

*For this recipe, you can use any nut-based milk. Try our homemade almond milk or coconut milk recipes.

Keywords: Recipe for Gingerbread Loaf

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 P.S. This recipe was also featured on MindBodyGreen!

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Comments

  1. Stacie Kohls says

    September 29, 2021 10:32 AM

    Can you make this recipe with something other than coconut oil & milk, my cardiologist said to stay away from it. Maybe olive oil instead?

    Reply
    • Aimee Harris Niedosik says

      September 29, 2021 11:12 AM

      Hi Stacie, Do you mind if I asked why your doctor suggested to avoid coconut oil and nut milk? I’ve read the opposite in all my years of study! But, you can easily swap the coconut oil out for extra virgin olive oil or organic avocado oil. For nut milk swap, you can try to use water, it just won’t be as moist.

      Reply
  2. Julie says

    October 27, 2016 1:43 PM

    Hurricane Matthew spared us but I still had to evacuate. Do you have any tips on “clean” emergency kit food ?

    Reply
    • Ivy Larson says

      October 31, 2016 2:51 PM

      Hi Julie! Oh Whew! SO glad you are ok with the hurricane. We live in North Palm Beach, Florida so we had to deal with a bit of the hurricane but thankfully nothing too terrible (mostly just power outage). But as for the “clean” emergency food kit I would recommend the following:

      > Lara Bars
      > Raw nuts
      > Dried fruit
      > Sardines packed in extra virgin olive oil
      > Sun dried tomatoes
      > Canned beans (and a can opener!!)
      > Mary’s Gone Crackers “seed” crackers
      > Spirulina (this stuff tastes TERRIBLE but it is the closest thing nature has to a multi-vitamin and you only need a tablespoon)

      These are all super nutritious foods and they will definitely keep you well-nourished for a few days.

      Reply
  3. Rebekah says

    November 10, 2015 1:43 PM

    Could you use King Arthurs white whole wheat flour instead?

    Reply
    • Ivy Larson says

      November 10, 2015 5:51 PM

      yes Rebekah! That will work just fine 😉

      Reply
  4. cari says

    March 12, 2011 7:48 PM

    I was wondering if I could use pumpkin instead of the butternut squash?

    Reply
    • Ivy Larson says

      March 14, 2011 10:30 AM

      yes!! absolutely =)

      Reply
  5. Tina "The Book Lady" says

    October 22, 2010 11:33 PM

    This looks so yummy! I have a holiday recipe linky on my blog and would love if you added a fall/winter recipe or two from your blog.

    http://holidaygiftsandmore.blogspot.com/p/recipes.html

    Thanks! Tina “The Book Lady”

    Reply
  6. Holly says

    October 16, 2010 9:08 PM

    Just wondering is the clean eating magazine published by you guys?

    Reply
    • Ivy Larson says

      October 18, 2010 10:44 AM

      Hi Holly,

      No, but I do LOVE that magazine! I’m working on my fourth book that will be titled “Clean Cuisine Everyday” though (I’m also finishing my “clean food for baby” book)

      Hope you enjoy our site. Thanks so much for commenting!

      Reply
  7. Irene says

    October 13, 2010 9:04 AM

    Great recipe post and website! We love this squash bread recipe as well as you passing the baking joy on to the next generation. Thanks for including our White Whole Wheat Flour in your recipes. Irene @ KAF

    Reply
    • Ivy Larson says

      October 13, 2010 9:46 AM

      Hi Irene,

      Thanks so much for the positive feedback. So glad you liked the recipe!

      Reply
  8. Megan says

    October 12, 2010 11:15 AM

    Yum, this sounds delicious! I’ll definitely be trying it!

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Ivy Larson says

      October 13, 2010 8:42 AM

      Oh good! So glad you like the sound of it. Thank you so much for commenting =)

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. TBT12- Day 23 says:
    January 28, 2012 at 12:13 AM

    […] was a bit much… – sesame tofu with quinoa – homemade guacamole with multi-seed crackers – healthy ginger spice cake with coconut milk whipped cream. I skipped the brown sugar, adding 1/3 cup honey and an extra dash […]

    Reply
  2. 3 Super Healthy Easy Butternut Squash Recipes | Clean Cuisine and More says:
    November 11, 2010 at 12:30 PM

    […] Oh! and if you missed my Gingerbread Spice Cake (with butternut squash puree!) be sure to check it out HERE! […]

    Reply

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