Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person in the world who actually likes gingerbread. I also genuinely love fruit cake…

What’s not to like about the comforting combination of warm molasses, sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and spicy ginger? It just screams Christmas to me. The scent of this bread baking makes the entire house smell like one of those fancy candles you’ve probably gifted to one of your kids’ teachers for the holidays. I like to slather some tangy cream cheese icing over this cake, but it tastes just as delicious without the frosting.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup hot brewed black tea (such as Earl Grey)

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 3-4 cups icing sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
3. In a separate small bowl, stir together the hot tea and molasses.
4. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy — about 2 minutes.
5. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
6. Reduce mixer speed too low. Next, add in the flour and molasses mixture in three alternating batches, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool loaf completely before frosting.
8. For the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until light and fluffy and almost doubled in volume. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
9. Add the cream cheese. Beat for an additional 5 minutes.
10. Mix in the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat until incorporated.
11. Reduce mixer to low and slowly add in the icing sugar, one cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
12. Once loaf is completely cool, use an offset spatula to spread frosting over cake.