Spiced Lavender Ginger Bread

A holiday favorite from our farm kitchen, this spicy loaf made with ginger, cinnamon, cloves and, of course, Organic Culinary Lavender is a lovely treat to accompany tea time or an afternoon coffee break.  It is deeply spiced and deliciously moist, each bite is a taste of the holidays.  Make a loaf for you and your family to enjoy and a second batch as mini loaves or muffins to gift to the neighbors.  Who doesn't love a little festive home baking at the holidays?

Spiced Lavender Ginger Bread

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup dark molasses
• 3/4 hot water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 cup lightly ground Organic Culinary Lavender
  
  

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. 

 

Step 2: In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth.  Add the brown sugar and cream until mostly combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.  Add egg and molasses and beat lightly until combined.  Slowly add the hot water while lightly beating and continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.

 

Step 3: In a separate bowl, sift or whisk the remaining dry ingredients together until well blended.  

 

Step 4: Add the blended dry ingredients to the butter, brown sugar, egg, molasses and water in small increments mixing well after each addition.  Continue to mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated, until all the large lumps have been broken up.  Avoid over-mixing.  The batter will be thin.

 

Step 5: Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean — approximately 50-60 minutes for most ovens.

 

Step 6: Allow loaf to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.  Once thoroughly cooled decorate with a simple finish of a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle glaze or simply serve with a generous dollop of lavender whipped cream.

Vanilla Drizzle Glaze

• 1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar
• 1 tablespoon water (more as needed to achieve a drizzle consistency)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
  

Orange Drizzle Glaze

• 1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange juice (more as needed to achieve a drizzle consistency)
  

For either glaze, mix until smooth and drizzle over thoroughly cooled loaf.  Allow to set before slicing or wrapping up to gift.

From our farm kitchen to yours and to whomever you share this festive, easy to make treat with — Happy Holidays!