This soft and moist vegan gingerbread loaf cake is full of sweet holiday flavor and tastes just like the Starbucks version but with 1/3 of the sugar and entirely dairy free! Made in just one bowl and topped with an irresistible cashew maple frosting!
Why you’ll love this gingerbread loaf cake recipe
I mean, it helps loving everything gingerbread (including this gingerbread house!), but truly, this is my favorite ginger loaf cake recipe. It’s entirely vegan (so egg free and dairy free), can be made gluten free, and tastes identical to the Starbucks version.
Like my vegan pumpkin bread and vegan banana bread, I had a few people wholovethe Starbucks version test this vegan gingerbread loaf and tell me the honest truth:they actually love this recipe more (and my copycat vegan cranberry bliss bars too!).
I kid you not, this gingerbread loaf is so moist, so fluffy, and full of holiday spice, sugar, and cheer! Yet, somehow, this recipe has less than a third of the sugar in the Starbucks gingerbread loaf.
This is quite literally my favorite holiday quick bread recipe that’s sure to please all eaters (although I have tons more of amazing quick bread recipes in my cookbook that you should definitely check out!).
And if you love all things gingerbread, be sure to check out my vegan gingerbread cake, gingerbread cupcakes, gingerbread cinnamon rolls, and of course, classic vegan gingerbread cookies!
Better than Starbucks vegan Gingerbread Loaf Ingredients
I’m serious, forget Starbucks gingerbread loaf and just make this copycat vegan version!
As I mentioned above, the low sugar and oil free ingredients to this vegan ginger loaf cake are so incredibly simple. You’ll need:
- Flour: you can use all purpose or gluten free 1:1 baking flour if gluten free is needed. I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free baking flour.
- Light brown sugar: only a little- quite literally 1/3 of the sugar found in a slice of Starbucks gingerbread loaf! You can also use coconut sugar if you’d like!
- Spices: I like to use a little bit more than just ground ginger. You’ll also need cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg
- Leavening agents
- Neutral oil: I like to use avocado oil.
- Molasses: I use unsulphured organic molasses by Wholesome Sweets.
- Dairy free milk: to keep this ginger loaf cake entirely nut free as well, use either coconut milk or oat milk.
- Dairy free yogurt: this is my trick for replacing the eggs in this vegan gingerbread loaf. You won’t believe how moist this vegan gingerbread loaf gets!
Overview: How to make a vegan gingerbread loaf
The full instructions for how to make this vegan ginger loaf cake are found down below in the recipe card. However, let’s go over the basics here:
- Use room temperature wet ingredients: this helps ensure that the ginger loaf cake doesn’t bake with a gummy texture.
- Gently fold in the flour into the wet ingredients: just make sure there are no more streaks of dry ingredients!
- Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake! Use a metal baking tin here rather than a glass- glass bakeware doesn’t heat evenly, but then stays very very hot, sometimes causing an uneven bake. A metal tin loaf pin is the best bet!
- Make the vegan maple cashew cream frosting for a fun topping!
Vegan maple cashew cream frosting
The vegan maple cream frosting frosting on top of this vegan gingerbread loaf is completely optional. However, I highly recommend it! It’s so fluffy and delicious!
To make a vegan cream cheese frosting, you’ll need:
- Vegan cream cheese
- Cashew butter
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup, for flavor
It’s that simple! Then just simply cream together all ingredients until smooth and smear on top of the gingerbread loaf cake, once it’s entirely cool.
If it’s not fully cool, the frosting will melt right off- so definitely wait!
I hope you love this vegan gingerbread loaf cake as much as I do! If you make it, let me know down below in the comments section, and be sure to give it a rating so that others may see it!
As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!
Happy ginger loaf cake baking!
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
One Bowl MOIST Vegan Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
★★★★★4.8 from 18 reviews
- Author: Britt Berlin
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 50
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This soft and moist vegan gingerbread loaf cake is full of sweet holiday flavor and tastes just like the Starbucks version but with 1/3 of the sugar and entirely dairy free! Made in just one bowl and topped with an irresistible cashew maple frosting!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, sifted (swap in gluten-free 1:1 baking flour for GF)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup (240 mL) dairy-free milk like oat milk, soy milk or almond milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) molasses
- 1/2 cup (120 g) dairy free yogurt, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) neutral oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Maple Cashew Cream Frosting:
- 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tbsp cashew butter
- 2 cup (240 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9″ loaf tin with olive or coconut oil.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, molasses, dairy free yogurt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add in the flour, then pour in the dairy free milk as you whisk in the flour, being careful not to over mix the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin, and place into the oven. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Serve: Serve as is or prepare the cashew cream frosting and frost when fully cool!
- Vegan cream cheese frosting: use a hand mixer to cream together the vegan cream cheese, cashew butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup. Smear onto the loaf before slicing.
Notes
Gluten free:I recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 147
- Sugar: 16.8 g
- Sodium: 131.8 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.9 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: gingerbread loaf cake, vegan gingerbread loaf, healthy gingerbread loaf
