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Gingerbread Tea Loaf - Photo By Ellen Easton©2008 All Rights Reserved

Check out more of Ellen Easton's articles and recipes called Tea Travels™. This recipe was inspired by the Ginger People. Ellen says "This is by far one of the best gingerbread recipes I have ever made. It is so easy to make."

1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
Pinch each of ground black pepper, ground clove, ground fennel, ground nutmeg, and ground star anise
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons crystallized ginger baking chips, divided
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup firmly-packed golden-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup nonfat milk (or buttermilk)
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt (or sour cream)

Optional Garnishes:
Whipped Cream
Seasonal Berries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (or Nordicware gingerbread loaf pan) with a non-stick baking spray. Using some light brown sugar (or plain granulated sugar), dust the bottom and all sides of the pan, leaving a thin coating of the sugar.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, pepper, cloves, fennel, nutmeg, star anise, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix in 3 tablespoons of crystallized ginger baking chips; set aside.

Using an electric mixer with a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. Add the vanilla extract and the fresh ginger. Slowly mix in 1/2 of the flour/spice mixture; then add milk and yogurt. Add the remaining 1/2 of the flour/spice mixture; blend just until smooth. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of crystallized ginger over the top surface of the batter, pressing the ginger lightly into the batter.

Bake approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, let pan cool on a wire rack for ten minutes, and then turn cake out out of the loaf pan onto the wire rack to cool completely. When completely cool, using a fine mesh strainer, dust the top lightly with confectioners (powdered) sugar.

If desired, garnish with whipped cream and seasonal berries.

Makes 1 loaf.