My favorite time of year to bake is almost here and not soon enough!  I love the smell of cinnamon and ginger, pumpkin, cloves and all the fall spices.  I love fall baking ….period!  lol  So, I was looking for a new recipe for gingerbread when I stumbled upon this recipe for Pumpkin Gingerbread.  This bread had so many things I love that are in it. I also loved how easy this bread is to make.  Most bakers already have most of the ingredients in their cabinet already!  If you love pumpkin like I do and fall spices like I do, you will love this bread.  This bread is great with or without frosting. Ohhhh, the frosting on this bread is a copy-cat version of Starbuck’s frosting they use on “their” gingerbread recipe, and, it’s delicious..  I hope you enjoy this bread as much as I do.

 

 

Happy Bread Baking!

 

 

 

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Un-sweetened applesauce

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 Tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

3 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur flour)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

 

Copycat Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf Icing Ingredients:

 

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste

1/2 teaspoon orange extract or 1/8 teaspoon orange oil

2 and 1/2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

 

Directions

 

1. Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease two 9 x 5 baking pans or 4 mini loaf pans; set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs.  Beat until smooth.  Add water and beat until well blended.

3. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice and cinnamon.

4. In  medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and baking powder.  Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed.  Do not over-mix.

5. Divide batter between two baking loaf pans.  Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick comes out clean., about one hour for 9 x 5 inch pans.  Bake for 30 to 45 minutes (begin checking around 25 minutes for mini pans).

 

Directions for Orange Frosting

 

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  Add vanilla and orange extract.  Slowly beat in confectioner’s sugar.  Once the bread has cooled, evenly spread the frosting on top.  Garnish with chopped candied ginger or orange peel if desired.

 

Gingerbread recipe from:

Good Thymes and Good Food blog:  http://www.goodthymesandgoodfood.com

 

Orange Frosting from: Copycat Starbucks Gingerbread Frosting