With ripe bananas, warming spices and molasses, this banana gingerbread loaf is perfect for the holiday season! Top this gingerbread with a simple icing sugar glaze, some freshly grated orange zest and candied ginger for one special treat. Great on Christmas morning with coffee, tea or your favourite holiday beverage.
The holidays are fast approaching, way faster than I kinda want it to!
Every year I say to myself that I’m not going to do as much baking.
What happens every year?
I bake tons!
Hubby and I don’t eat a ton of sweets, so we always have lots leftover.
The great thing about this banana gingerbread loaf, though, is that it’s not overly sweet (especially if you omit the glaze).
We can easily sit down with a thick slice with a cup of tea or coffee almost every day and never tire of it.
No lie, I can totally enjoy this gingerbread loaf year-round, just like my gingerbread bundt cake!
Why We Love Banana Gingerbread
- It’s a great way to use overripe bananas
- You can make it ahead and enjoy the next day (hello Christmas morning!)
- Prepped in about 10 minutes (the hardest thing to do is waiting for it to bake)
- No mixer needed. A whisk/spatula or spoon works good here.
- Makes your home smell amazing as it bakes!
- Great homemade food gift for the holidays
- Of course, it tastes delicious
How to Make It
Full details on how to make this banana gingerbread are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- Whisk together your dry ingredients, like flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
- In another bowl, mash your banana.
- To your banana, add eggs, oil, molasses and brown sugar.
- Mix your banana/egg mixture so that everything is well combined.
- Add your flour mixture to your banana mixture and mix in.
- Pour gingerbread batter into a prepared pan.
- Bake and cool.
- Glaze and garnish (if you like) and enjoy!
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Do I Have to Glaze?
Not at all!
I’ve enjoyed this gingerbread loaf with and without glaze and it’s delicious both ways.
Alternatively, you can serve with some whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.
Can I Freeze Gingerbread?
Wrap well your cooled loaf and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw when ready to enjoy.
The integrity of the glaze may not be the same as when freshly made so, if you like, you can glaze after thawing.
More Recipe Tips
Wait until your banana gingerbread is completely cooled before glazing. Otherwise, the glaze will absorb right into the loaf.
Speaking of glaze, you can make it as thick (or as thin) as you like. Place your icing sugar in a bowl and add a tiny bit of juice. The more you add, the thinner your glaze will be (and vice versa).
Don’t worry if you’ve made your glaze too thin or too thick. You can easily adjust that. If too thin, add more icing sugar. If too thick, add more liquid. Easy!
More Holiday Recipes You May Enjoy
- Baked Eggnog Donuts
- Gingerbread Coffee Creamer
- Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- Cookie Spread (especially the gingersnap version, perfect for the holidays!)
Hope you love this banana gingerbread recipe as much as we do!
If you try this glazed gingerbread loaf, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to hear how you enjoyed it!
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Banana Gingerbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned into cup and levelled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup mashed banana (from about 2 to 3 small ripe bananas)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup fancy molasses
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- Baking spray or butter (to grease loaf pan)
Glaze
- ½ icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
Optional Garnish
- Grated orange zest
- Chopped candied ginger
Instructions
- In a bowl combine flour with baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In another bowl, mash the bananas until smooth.
- To mashed banana, add eggs, oil, molasses and sugar. Mix to combine.
- Slowly add flour mixture to banana mixture, whisking/stirring to combine. Don't overmix, but don't leave any dry flour behind.
- Grease a 9 x 11-inch loaf pan with baking spray or butter and overhang with some parchment paper. Then, give it another little grease.
- Pour loaf mixture into pan and bake for 45 to 53 minutes or until a wooden skewers comes out clean of wet batter when inserted through the centre of the loaf. Because pans and ovens vary, check on at the 45 minute mark).
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing and allowing to fully cool on a wire rack before glazing and garnishing (if doing so). Enjoy!
Glaze
- Add icing sugar to a bowl and slowly stir in orange juice until you've reached your desired consistency. For a thicker consistency, use less orange juice. For a thinner consistency, use more orange juice.Note: If you've thinned out the glaze too much, add in a little more icing sugar until it's at the consistency you like best.
Notes
- Wait until your banana gingerbread is completely cooled before glazing. Otherwise, the glaze will absorb right into the loaf.
- Speaking of glaze, you can make as it as thick (or as thin) as you like. Place your icing sugar in a bowl and add a tiny bit of juice. The more you add, the thinner your glaze will be (and vice versa).
- Don’t worry if you’ve made your glaze too thin or too thick. You can easily adjust that. If too thin, add more icing sugar. If too thick, add more liquid. Easy!
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
