Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf

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Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup natural applesauce (no added sugar)

Frosting

  • 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure orange extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour (or line with parchment paper) a 9"x 5" loaf pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, add flour, spices, salt and baking soda.  Whisk to combine, then set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth.  Add sugar and blend until fully combined and fluffy.  Add orange zest and blend.
  4. Add fresh orange juice and blend.  Add egg and blend.  Add apple sauce and blend.
  5. Add flour mixture while slowly mixing.  Stir just until all ingredients are well combined.
  6. Pour/scoop batter into prepared pan and bake 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs (but no wet batter).  Cool loaf at least 1 hour before frosting.
  7. Prepare frosting by beating the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fully smooth.  Add butter and blend.
  8. Add about half of the powdered sugar and blend well.  Add extracts and zest and blend.
  9. Add remaining powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated and frosting is smooth and fluffy.
  10. Spread frosting onto cooled cake.