Starbuck's Holiday Gingerbread Loaf

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This is excellent. I made a trial run of this bread in October last year and found I kept making it all winter long - LOL. Everyone in my family loved this also - very dense and moist. I did not decorate the frosting with the candied fruit. Not sure how close this is to the original Starbucks but it is a keeper.


Starbuck's Holiday Gingerbread Loaf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/4 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon orange extract, optional
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon baking soda

FROSTING
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in
orange extract if using.

Dissolve baking soda into applesauce and mix into creamed butter mixture. Add flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes (I do 45 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out just slightly sticky.

FROSTING:
Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and orange
extract (if using). Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar.

Frost cake when it is completely cooled. Decorate with chopped candied orange peel or candied ginger .