Bouchon Bakery French Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
Bouchon Bakery French Gingerbread Loaf is a moist and flavorful gingerbread cake featuring warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, complemented by rich molasses and a hint of lemon zest. This classic French-style gingerbread is perfect for cozy afternoons or holiday treats, baked to perfection in loaf pans for a tender crumb and deep spice aroma.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves (about 8 slices per loaf) 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups plus 2 teaspoons (340 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons (8 grams) baking soda
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (7 grams) ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
- ⅜ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cloves
- ½ plus ⅛ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 1 ½ teaspoons (220 grams) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup plus 2 ¼ teaspoons (340 grams) unsulfured blackstrap molasses
- 1 cup (215 grams) canola or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup plus 2 ½ tablespoons (100 grams) beaten eggs (about 2 large eggs)
- 1 ¼ cup plus 2 ½ tablespoons (336 grams) boiling water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (5 grams) grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prep pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray two loaf pans with nonstick spray and line them with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the cakes.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and kosher salt until evenly combined and aromatic.
- Blend wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the dark brown sugar, unsulfured blackstrap molasses, and oil. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated. Gradually add in the beaten eggs, mixing thoroughly between additions. Then gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture while mixing on low speed to avoid lumps.
- Finish batter: Slowly pour the boiling water into the batter while mixing gently to combine. Carefully fold in the grated lemon zest to distribute the citrus flavor evenly throughout the batter. Pour the prepared batter evenly into the two loaf pans.
- Bake and cool: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, allow the loaves to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Storage: Once cooled, wrap the gingerbread loaves tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. They can be frozen for up to 1 week. Before serving, defrost them overnight in the refrigerator for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Using blackstrap molasses adds a deep, robust flavor characteristic of traditional gingerbread.
- Be sure to line the pans with parchment to prevent the loaf from sticking and to get clean edges.
- Boiling water helps to create a moist and tender crumb in the final loaf.
- Lemon zest adds a refreshing brightness that balances the rich spices and molasses.
- The cake can be stored wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days if not freezing.
- This recipe yields two loaf cakes, perfect for sharing or gifting.
Keywords: Gingerbread, French Gingerbread, Bouchon Bakery, Molasses Gingerbread, Spiced Loaf Cake
