Gingerbread Loaf w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Tis the season for gingerbread especially this Gingerbread Loaf w/Cream Cheese Frosting.  Cream cheese frosting spread on top of just about everything tastes delicious, but trust me when I say that this gingerbread and cream cheese frosting combo is killer!  Gingerbread has quite a few strong spices in it, so the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting really pairs deliciously with the spice.  You definitely will have to eat more than one slice.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in middle.  Coat a 9-inch-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, dust with flour, and tap out excess.
2. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and allspice in a large bowl and set aside.  In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk and vanilla until combined.
3. Combine butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in molasses until well combined then add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until well incorporated.
4. Stop mixer and scrape bowl and paddle (mixture will look separated and curdled). Add one third flour mixture beating on low speed just until flour is incorporated. Add half buttermilk mixture and once batter is smooth add another third flour mixture. Add remaining buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Add remaining flour mixture, and beat until incorporated and smooth.
5. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and cake is pulling away from sides of pan, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
6. While cooling, in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth.  Add in the milk and vanilla.  On low speed, add the powdered sugar and beat until combined.
7. Once gingerbread has completely cooled, spread frosting on the top and the sides.

*Adapted from Chow

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