Warning: This page may contain graphic, seditious and explicit scenes that some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised.
Starbucks has named their baked goods with the utmost of political correctness. If you have a hankering for some “Holiday Baking”… then head on down to Starbucks! To be fair, I do think this is apropos, since Starbucks is an international chain.
But for me… the word “Holiday” almost always conjures up images of snow and (shhh) Christmas for me.
It also gets a touch confusing when crossing the equator… although, I imagine that “down under” in Australia, December is still a holiday… albeit a summer one. But then they also still have Christmas…
I wonder if Starbucks is just hoping to capitalize on those winter…er, or summer days beyond the Christmas season. I wonder if “Holiday” Whoopie cakes can still be had in January… but January isn’t really a holiday, is it?
I’m confused.
In any event, I completely understand… not everyone desires or wishes to celebrate Christmas… or, for that matter, believes there is (shhhh) a Santa Claus (Santa, I promise that wasn’t me, I’ve been a good girl… please don’t leave me a lump of coal.)
Fortunately this is my blog and I am free to write about Santa, Christmas, Elves and Reindeer…
I will bake, blog and decorate and revel in all that is Christmas.. with as much wild abandon as that with which one hurls tinsel onto the tree.
And… I can’t wait to read what my fellow bloggers in other parts of the world are up to at this time of year. Photos, recipes, stories.. bring it on! I can’t wait to read about and revel in your customs and traditions as well♥
I must now admit that I did have quite a pleasant experience when sampling the Starbucks Holiday Gingerbread Loaf last week… it wasn’t too sweet, had a fluffy icing flavored with just a hint of orange and it’s top was studded with candied citrus peel. So… a bit of googling here, a bit of googling there.. and presto… I found a recipe that appears identically on a few different websites. Sooo I thought, if it ain’t broken…
(Ok, I have a confession to make, I couldn’t resist tossing in some grated orange zest, which meant reducing the orange flavoring… I think anything “real” always trumps the artificial.)
I made these loaves for my Petite Sucrée (small and sweet) set of recipes (see the top at the top of my blog). Technically, it instructs one to bake the batter in a 9×9 square pan, “But… I thought these were supposed to be a loaf,” murmured to self, “Then a loaf they shall be”. So my tiny 2×4″ loaf pans were bought out… and I was excited to notice that The Bay carries some of these tiny baking pans now.
This recipe made three of these small cakes and only two of the three remain, oops! Oh, and before I forget… Jack, I did promise to bring you some slices of this Holiday Christmas Gingerbread Loaf and I shall keep my promise! But just so you know… it wasn’t listed under their (ever so politically correct) “Favorite Foods Under 350 Calories” page. On the bright side, my slices will be petite and thus have fewer calories. Having said that, you still might want to plan to fit in an extra workout… between bites♥
Christmas Gingerbread Loaf
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- zest from 1 large orange
- 1/8 tsp orange extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 2 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp orange extract
- 2 1/2 cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar or more
- Candied citrus or orange peel
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt.
- In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar together until creamy and fluffy. Beat in orange zest and extract.
- In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into the applesauce. Add to the creamed butter mixture.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating slowly until the batter is completely mixed and smooth.
- Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans or a 9×9” square pan.
- Bake for 35 minutes if using small loaf pans or 40 – 50 minutes for a larger pan. Cake is done if toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Frosting
- Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and orange extracts.
- Slowly beat in icing sugar. Add additional sugar as needed until the icing is the right consistency for spreading and holding it’s shape on the cake.
- Ice the cakes once they have completely cooled. Press candied citrus peel into the top of the icing.
Cutiepie little reindeer pup.
Love your line. “I will bake, blog and decorate and revel in all that is Christmas.. with as much wild abandon as that with which one hurls tinsel onto the tree.”
Awesome recipe too.
🙂 Mandy
Not sure he much liked those antlers, but we had fun:) Thanks, Mandy!
Once you posted the puppy pic, I was unable to notice anything else! on this post. That is what happens when the “cuteness” level is exceeded! Man, it looks cold there to this California resident. BRRRRRRR!
If i hear Happy Holidays one more time I am going to cry. It is a christmas holiday. People say Happy Birthday to me when no-one else is celebrating their birthday. Why can’t we say merry christmas to the christmas people! c
i absolutely agree with you and got so carried away i forgot to look at your recipe, i will pop back up! c
Hahaha, hope your month is not too busy with the farm…
The candied orange sprinkled over the top sold it for me! 🙂
Me, too, I actually like the taste of them:0
Your loaf turned out fantastic.
Thanks!
Coming to your blog, seeing your pictures and reading your posts always makes me smile! That’s a lovely looking petite gingerbread loaf, and I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas season!
Thanks sooo much… I hope you had a wonderful Christmas season as well!
Thank you so much for the pre-warning. Those images were out of control. 😉 Love you pup – so cute in his/her festive wear. And I wish I could grab into my screen and take a big bite out of that loaf.
Thanks Courtney.. I would offer you a bite if I could:)
That is so pretty takes gingerbread, which is already great, up a notch. Love the dog photos.
It is a great recipe (wish I had thought of it:) Btw… thank you for the Christmas baking recipes.. that’s such a great idea! It got me thinking about what to make next!
I love to hear that you wish to throw yourself into Christmas with wild abandon! I’m the same. Only this very evening I’ve put up my little tree in my workroom and added the lights, all to the sound of Christmas tunes – not least Nat “King” Cole singing “Little Christmas Tree”. The recipe sounds absolutely delicious and has festive written all over it. I hope you enjoy this festive season! 🙂
I love the Nat King Cole tunes at Christmas:) I love that it was night when I read your comment but only mid afternoon here! I hope you enjoy as well!
Thank you so much. 🙂
These are so lovely photographs, Blessing for your dog. I loved this recipe too. You are amazing. I wish you too Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you, with my love, nia
My puppy thanks you for the blessing… he needs one as he’s a bit of a stinker sometimes!
Your pup is ridiculously adorable! Oh gosh, and that gingerbread loaf sounds fantastic. At first, I thought that was candied ginger on top, but candied citrus sounds like it would be wonderful with the gingerbread. Mmm!
The orange is a nice touch.. guess Starbucks bakers know what they’re doing:) I like candied ginger but it can be a bit strong for my tastes..
Ahh… your puppy pictures are adorable. Anything with cream cheese frosting has my vote. Take Care
Thanks.. my kids love seeing his photos here and I’m happy to oblige:) You take care as well and have a great weekend!
you are making me so hungry. can you mail me some lol
i can take pictures for you lol
great stuff
kudos
I would if I could.. however, my luck with shipping baked goods has not been very successful… Thanks for stopping in!
Oh this Christmas Gingerbread Loaf looks amazing. I just love the holidays and the sweets that go along with it. And that dog is just too darn cute 🙂
He’s pretty special to us:)
That puppy doesn’t look happy in his first shot!
Great pics though.
Awesome post!
Lol… I have to say the pup does tolerate a bit of this… We don’t usually dress him up but as he’s old he requires a coat due to thinning fur…Glad you liked it!
Lovely recipe! I’m off to buy orange extract and candied peel.
Enjoy!
Tremendous! Go right ahead and Christmas it up, my dear–nobody does it better than you do! Especially if you’re going to have that incredible gingerbread loaf handy. I am so very fond of all things ginger, and may have to join you in your seasonal bender the more quickly now that you’ve put this tasty recipe in front of me. Mmmm.
Hmmm, bender might require a little hot rum toddy or peppermint schnapps or.. rum and eggnog?
‘ang on, I’m on me way!
We have a wonderful Christmas down here in Australia – it’s hot, but the school are on holidays, which means everyone is very laid back and the kids are having a ball! Lovely photos, and great recipe! 🙂
How wonderful! I hope you post photos.. do houses get lights, etc, like us??
Yep, quite a few people do the house lights. It’s pretty similar, except it’s hot…and we get to eat mangoes, peaches and cherries….oh and there isn’t any snow 🙂
Send me some snow and I’ll send you some mangoes?
Well… 15 cm fell yesterday, so I could happily and easily trade some for mango!!
Your dog is absolutely adorable! Thank you for yet another inticing recipe!
You’re so very welcome! And Lucky says thanks too!
I celebrate Christmas, so I’m going to go ahead and just say MERRY CHRISTMAS and thanks for your post 🙂 the bread looks divine
Merry Christmas to you!!
‘Tis definitely the season to be baking ! Delicious looking cake.
Thanks, Carolyn!!
I don’t think I’ve every really haaad ginger bread. I suppose that means I ought to make it then, huh?