It’s Christmastime!
Or is it really? {crink eye}
I feel like the world is playing a trick on me. From where I stand it looks more like primo beach season. True, people are wearing jeans and little sweater-like things, Christmas music and flashing neon nativity scenes have been going strong since, oh, I dunno, JULY, and I can’t find a seat at Starbucks.
But nothing about the climate in the Philippines makes me feel like it’s Christmastime. Nothing. There’s not even like, a stray orange leaf or anything.
Bjork and I sometimes create mini Minnesota winters with the air conditioning in our scrappy little office (you should see the curtains that Bjork bought). You know, the whole turn it to “max cool” and put on a hoodie for a little bit kinda thing? And then when that gets old, I go bake something cause it feels like I’m sitting next to the crackling fireplace. That might have something to do with THE ACTUAL FIRE that’s blazing away inside the oven. I dunno, real cold, real fire… it might actually be the Christmas season after all.
I baked this gingerbread a few years ago for my coworkers. It was so yummy, and then I took not-very-good pictures of it and thought they were great. I literally remember thinking that I especially liked this one shot:
But I don’t really like that shot anymore. Funny how things can change.
Speaking of things changing, I am super excited because for the last few weeks (minus Virus Week) I’ve been in the process of making some additions and updates to my food photography eBook, Tasty Food Photography. Yay!
To be a truth teller: I was kind of not excited to start working on it again.
But it’s been such a fun process! I never could have imagined the kind of response that I’ve gotten from you, my readers, on how Tasty Food Photography has made such a positive difference in your food photography, which makes getting back into it supermotivating. Thank you for being so encouraging!
Plus, it gives me a good excuse to go to The Coffee Bean every.single.night. And if I don’t look out the window, The Coffee Bean gives me the warm Christmas fuzzies somethin’ fierce. So it’s Christmas. Fine. I accept, and I’ll take the White Dream Mocha Thingie.
Know what else gives me warm Christmas fuzzies? Gingerbread. It’s so cozy. And is that lemon glaze pretty or what? These make great gifts, but if you can’t summon the strength, I will just let you know that they make perfect Christmastime breakfasts with a side of chai tea latte. Just saying.
Gingerbread Loaves with Lemon Glaze
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
Description
These gingerbread loaves are soft and moist and fluffy, and they make the house smell amazing. The lemon glaze is the perfect finishing touch!
Ingredients
- 2 scant cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 10 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 tbs. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ground sea salt
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground cloves
- (other spice options: nutmeg, allspice)
- 1 tsp. ground mustard
- 3 tablespoons fresh grated ginger soaked in 1-2 tablespoons hot water (or 3 tablespoons ginger paste such as Fresh Gourmet)
- juice of one lemon
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter with sugar. Add eggs and beat until fluffy – about 2 minutes.
- Add all other ingredients (except lemon and powdered sugar) and mix until moistened.
- Divide the batter evenly between two greased loaf pans and bake for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of pan, until golden brown and the tops spring back when touched.
- After loaves have cooled completely, stir lemon juice with powdered sugar until a thick glaze forms. Spread over tops of loaves and allow to set.
Notes
Covering the bread with foil during the last 10 minutes will help the top not to get too brown as it bakes.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: gingerbread loaf, lemon glaze, gingerbread bread
I started to get crocodile tears just listening to Amy Grant singing about chesnuts and yuletide carols and coming home for Christmas, so I decided that this year all my Christmas music has to be totally new. Unfamiliar and unknown. No memories attached. I downloaded a Christmas album from… Martina McBride. Is that weird? Cause I really like it.
CHRISTMASSSS.
Sorry it doesn’t feel like Christmas to you! This looks great.
Just came across your blog and I can’t wait to try this recipe – gingerbread and lemon sounds pretty good together!
I have one question though unrelated to this recipe – I’m so curious where your husband’s name comes from. Cause it’s kind of the same as my Icelandic middle name Björk!
That’s awesome! He was actually named after a family whose last name is Bjork.
It seems like there’s usually a trigger to the “Christmas feeling”, mine is seeing the Christmas lights!
Love this loaf Lindsay! You had me at gingerbread… and glaze 🙂
Oh I love the idea of using real ginger to get the taste of gingerbread as I live somewhere where its super hard to find & figured again this year I wldn’t get to celebrate Xmas w/ some gingerbread baked goods… but thanks to you I can! 🙂
You are speaking my language. Gingerbread is probably my favorite holiday flavor (so warm and cozy!), and Chai lattes are my weakness. In other words, I need to go bake now.
When we moved to FL from NY, I remember literally bawling my eyes out when a Home Decorators catalogue made it’s way to my mailbox b/c it had such pretty snowy, Xmass-y scenes and it was 85 and sunny outside. FL was a litttttttle closer than the Philippines to get home if I wanted to, but I totally understand that feeling. It’s rough during the holidays! Just keep baking 🙂
Baking, baking, baking. You know it.
Hahaha. I love your pictures from 2010. I’ve kept the shots from my first few months of food photography and can’t believe how I would excitedly call my husband to come and look at my “great” shots. Ugh. How embarrassing.
I love ginger and lemon together! But mustard? No. Nooo! Mustard is my arch enemy. Just the thought of it makes me queasy. Bla. Anyway, lovely looking bread!
Gingerbread gives me the Christmas fuzzies too! I’ve tried many kinds of cookies but never a loaf… looks yummy!
This gingerbread loaf looks great! And I also love seeing how much your photography has improved over the past few years… congrats!
We live in Alabama where it’s been in the 70’s lately. We moved here from Indiana earlier this year, so we are adjusting to having warmer weather during the Christmas season too. It’s so weird!
Well, these photos certainly have my stomach growling! I want a slice of this bread for a mid-morning snack.
This looks delicious! It would be difficult to be in a warm climate during the Christmas season.
it would be difficult to not have the “normal” things to cue holiday time… my Dad grew up in Hawaii and didn’t see snow until college, I cannot even imagine that! I suppose you come to expect different things meaning holidays…
like this bread… the smell in the kitchen, the flavor of the gingerbread… all of it looks fantastic! (and I LOVE to look at my old photos, the ones that I thought were SO good… 😉 )
Try Lady Antebellum for a new Christmas Album! This looks yummy….so many recipes, so little time!
Gorgeous! This looks so delicious…I love gingerbread and lemon together.
It’s strange being in a warm place for Xmas, isn’t it. Growing up in MN, I can relate because it’s hot and humid where I’m at now. But no crocodile tears for me 🙂 I love it hot. Except for food photography! Gah…everything melts and glistens!
And I love the looks of this bread – so rich and moist looking, perfect!
Oh wow, this looks delicious and I can definitely get behind eating this for breakfast like every.single.day! This will be added to my long list of breads and cookies I want to make this season!
These loaves sound like a total dream! Love that glaze!
Oooh, I just made ginger cookies last week! Loaves with lemon glaze top those cookies for sure though – yum!
Who doesn’t love gingerbread? This one looks perfect, with that tart glaze!
Well that looks insanely delicious! I’m such a sucker for lemon glaze 🙂
Beautiful! And an absolute perfect holiday loaf
I love that lemon glaze! I had some gingerbread this weekend – it was the perfect snack while watching my first Christmas movies of the season : )
Haha I love you, girl. I love seeing how your blog expands and grows, and I may be a couple of years behind you in blog style and experience, but I feel the same way about my photos. There are so many that I thought were totally badass a while back, and I now look at those same pictures and roll my eyes. I love how it’s changing! Anyway, I hope this new and different Christmas for you is new and awesome 🙂