The warm spices of gingerbread fill the air with holiday good cheer as this old-fashioned loaf bakes. Drizzled with a simple icing and studded with toffee pieces, it’s the perfect sweet treat for sharing with family and friends.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp each salt and ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp each baking powder, ground nutmeg and cloves
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 NestFresh Eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup toffee pieces
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 5 tsp 2% milk
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves; set aside.
2. Using electric mixer, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time and scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until combined.
3. Beat in half of the vanilla; beat in molasses. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, starting and ending with flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Fold in toffee pieces.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer pan to rack; let cool completely.
5. Remove loaf from pan. Whisk together icing sugar, milk and remaining vanilla; drizzle over loaf. Sprinkle with almonds. Let stand until icing sets. Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or wrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
Tips:
• Substitute chopped crystallized ginger or raisins for toffee pieces if desired.
• Substitute chopped pecans or walnuts for almonds if desired.