Orange Gingerbread Swirl Loaf

My love of all things orange combined with the Christmas gingerbread flavor swirled together in a bread is finally here and I couldn’t be more excited for you to experience it yourself.

A few years back I mentioned to Abra that I wanted to do yet another swirl bread for the holiday season because quite frankly, they’ve become my favorite to make. Can’t say she was too surprised when I told her there was going to be an orange swirl batter involved. #orangeloverforlife

Glorious, isn’t she? Now you wouldn’t think that gingerbread and orange would go well together, but somehow the two batters are swirled together to form the most delectable orange gingerbread loaf that’s absolutely perfect for serving during the holiday season.

It’s sweet, it’s full of spicy ginger flavor, and SO tender you won’t know what deliciousness just hit you. Especially if you want to slather it up with a little butter + sea salt on top. DROOL.

Gingerbread + orange = match made in heaven

A few reasons you’ll love this orange gingerbread loaf:

• It’s FUN to bake! Baking this bread with a friend or someone you love is highly suggested; you can both be responsible for one of the batters.
• The cozy cinnamon, ginger and allspice make the gingerbread swirl truly irresistible and reminiscent of Christmas. The orange adds a nice sweet bright citrus flavor.
• The orange glaze is truly perfect. Drizzle it on and enjoy.

Everything you’ll need to make this orange gingerbread loaf

We’re making separate orange and gingerbread loaf batters and then swirling them together for the most perfect, beautiful bread. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Flour: this bread uses whole wheat pastry flour, which gives it the best fluffy texture.
• Sweetener: you’ll need maple syrup for both layers, and blackstrap molasses for the gingerbread layer to sweeten the whole loaf.
• Eggs: you’ll also need 2 total eggs so the loaf bakes up properly.
• Spices: the gingerbread batter is filled with cinnamon, ground ginger & allspice.
• Milk: you’ll also need some milk to give the gingerbread batter moisture.
• Butter: both layers have a little butter for extra moisture.
• Orange: gotta have that true orange flavor in the orange layer! We’re adding real orange juice and zest.
• Baking staples: don’t forget the vanilla extract, baking soda & salt. The orange layer also has some almond extract to pair perfectly with the flavor.
• For the glaze: top your loaf with a luscious glaze made from powdered sugar, orange juice & orange zest.

Molasses: the key to gingerbread flavor

A lot of people ask if they can skip the molasses in this orange gingerbread loaf. If you want that rich, deliciously spiced gingerbread flavor, the answer is nope! Not only does molasses provide delicious sweetness to these cookies, but 1 tablespoon of it has 20% of your daily iron needs. Mind. BLOWN.

Can I use a different flour?

Feel free to use all purpose flour in place of the whole wheat pastry flour if you’d like. I would just suggest reducing the butter to 2 tablespoons in each of the batters. If you’re looking for a gluten free alternative, try my Paleo Orange-Kissed Loaf with Dark Chocolate Glaze or my Paleo Cranberry Orange Bread.

Can I make it vegan or dairy free?

I haven’t tested this recipe using flax eggs, but let me know if the comments if you do! Feel free to use coconut oil or vegan butter in both of the batters to keep the bread dairy free.

Tips for making the best swirl bread

Here are some tips for making swirl or marbled bread look beautiful:

1. Alternate the batters. Make sure you alternative the batter on top of each other. I like to add half of each batter, then repeat.
2. Only swirl a little bit. Once you have all of the batter in the pan, use a butter knife or wooden skewer and swirl just 3-4 total times in an S-shape or in a figure-8 pattern. Try not to over-swirl or the batter will start to blend together and become one color.

How to make orange gingerbread muffins

Yes, this bread can easily be made into muffins! Simply divide the batter between 12 greased muffin liners and bake them for 20-25 minutes until a tester comes out clean.

Freeze it for later

This orange gingerbread bread freezes well! Simply wrap in plastic, then tightly in foil and finally place in a reusable container or freezer-friendly bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature once you are ready to enjoy. You can also feel free to freeze individual slices for a quick on-the-go treat.

Check out my other gingerbread creations here

• Healthy Gingerbread Loaf
• Incredible Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies
• Fluffy Gingerbread Pancakes
• Healthy Gingerbread Muffins
• One Bowl Gluten Free Gingerbread Snacking Cake

Get even more of my baked goods here!

I hope you love this orange gingerbread loaf! If you make the recipe, I’d love to hear from you — please leave a comment and rate the recipe below. xo!

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Orange Gingerbread Swirl Loaf

4.88 from 8 votes

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

ServesServes 12 slices

Gorgeous orange gingerbread loaf swirled with perfectly spiced gingerbread batter and delicious, sweet orange batter. This homemade gingerbread loaf has hints of molasses and orange zest, and is topped with a simple orange glaze for an incredible brunch treat or seasonal snack!

Ingredients

• For the gingerbread layer:
• Wet
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (or sub melted and cooled coconut oil or vegan butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dry
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour*
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• For the orange layer:
• Wet
• 1 egg
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• Zest from 1 orange
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or sub honey)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (or sub melted and cooled coconut oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• Dry
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour*
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• For the glaze:
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice, plus a little more if necessary to thin the glaze
• 1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ loaf pan with parchment paper and spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray.
• First make the gingerbread batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, pure maple syrup, molasses, almond milk, melted butter and vanilla extract until well combined. Add in your dry ingredients: whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt. Mix until just combined. Set aside while you make the orange batter.
• Make the orange batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, orange juice, orange zest, pure maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth and well combined. Add in your dry ingredients: whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined.
• Spoon half of the gingerbread batter into prepared loaf pan, then top with half of the orange batter. Repeat with remaining gingerbread batter and orange batter. Swirl the batters together with a butter knife just a few times (do not overdo this or the batters will start to come together and look crazy). Bake for 45-60 minutes until a tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Once done baking, remove from pan and place on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
• For the glaze: Mix together powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest until smooth. You may need to add in more orange juice to thin out the glaze, but remember we want it to be a thicker glaze, like an icing. Pour or drizzle over the top of the loaf and spread towards the sides, if necessary.

Recipe Notes

*Instead of whole wheat pastry flour, you can use all purpose flour, but I would suggest reducing the butter to 2 tablespoons in each batter. If you are looking for gluten free recipe, I would suggest my paleo orange loaf.

To make dairy-free: use coconut oil or vegan butter instead of regular butter.

See the full post for tips, tricks, freezing instructions, and instructions for turning this recipe into muffins!

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 197calCarbohydrates: 32.8gProtein: 3.2gFat: 6.2gSaturated Fat: 3.4gFiber: 2.8gSugar: 13.9g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats