Polish Gingerbread Loaf (Piernik) Recipe

This Polish gingerbread loaf (piernik) is a one-bowl easy festive bake.  This simple cake is made using oil for a lighter, fluffier consistency, and sweetened with a combination of honey and sugar.

Polish gingerbread loaf - piernik

Gingerbread spices are for me an essential part of festive baking and today I am sharing an easy Polish gingerbread loaf recipe.  Gingerbread is popular throughout Europe and each country will prepare it a little differently.  In Poland the more traditional recipes use butter, which gets melted along with the honey and sugar.  My simplified version contains oil instead of butter plus a little buttermilk for a fluffier, lighter texture.

I also used crystallised ginger* (candied ginger) which adds more sweetness and gingery sharpness to this loaf.  Here in the UK you can find it in the baking section in the supermarket along with dried fruit.  You could swap the candied ginger for sultanas or raisins if you prefer (these are more commonly used in gingerbread cakes).

If you love easy festive baking you might also like this simple gingerbread muffins recipe.

Equipment you'll need

• Kitchen scale and measuring spoons
• 2 large bowls, whisk and large spoon
• Electric mixer
• Medium loaf pan and parchment paper

How to make easy gingerbread loaf: step-by-step

This gingerbread cake recipe does not require soaking, proofing, melting or prepping the ingredients in any other way beforehand.  So it comes together very quickly.

1.Preheat the oven to180 C and combine the dry ingredients, i.e. the flour, baking powder, soda, spices, cocoa, brown sugar and a pinch of salt.  Stir thoroughly using a whisk, set aside and prepare your ‘wet’ ingredients.

2. Beat together the eggs, honey and oil for a couple of minutes. 

3. Gradually pour in the dry mixture alternating with the buttermilk until almost all the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

4. The final step is to fold in the crystallised ginger/raisins. Do NOT overstir the batter.

5. Pour the batter into your pan and bake for 1 hour (check if ready with a toothpick - it should come out clean).  After about 50 minutes you may want to cover the cake loosely to prevent it browning too much (optional).

6. Remove from the oven and leave in the pan for 10 minutes. Then lift out of the pan, with the paper and place on a cooling rack. Wait for the cake to cool completely before decorating.

Decorating your gingerbread loaf

This cake can be enjoyed as it is, but you can also decorate it with a bit of icing and a handful of crushed nuts.  The cake is not overly sweet so a drizzle of icing is a good idea.  The proportions I used yield a small amount of icing but you can simply double the ingredients and make more icing if you prefer.  (I used the same icing in my easy fruit cake recipe).

I scattered a handful of crushed hazelnuts over the cake, but you can use mixed nuts or skip this step altogether if you like.  If you do use nuts sprinkle them first and then drizzle over the icing – it will keep the nuts in place.

Alternatively you can decorate this gingerbread piernik cake with a simple chocolate drizzle.

Storing Polish gingerbread piernik

This gingerbread cake tastes great not only straight from the oven but you can also enjoy it over several days. It will taste delicious the next day and the day after too.  Just keep it in an airtight container so it stays moist.

Top tips

• Do NOT overstir the batter.
• Crystallised ginger (also called candied ginger) is available in most supermarkets in the UK. You might be able to also find it in health food shops or buy it online.  Stem ginger in syrup is not the same product and should NOT be used in this recipe.
• You can use sultanas or raisins instead of crystallised ginger.
• Ensure the cake has had time to cool completely before decorating it.
• Storing: cover with foil or plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: once completely cooled place the cake in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

More Polish Christmas Eve recipes

If you are looking for more Polish Christmas recipes check out my borscht, porcini uszka dumplings, pierogi dumplings and traditional fish recipe.  You might also like this traditional Polish dried fruit compote and this Polish potato salad, which is a family recipe I’ve been making for years.

Check out also this recipe for traditional Polish cheesecake as well as healthy cacao recipes.

Keep in touch!

Have you made this gingerbread loaf cake recipe? I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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Polish GingerbreadLoaf (Piernik) Recipe

Polish inspired gingerbread loaf (piernik) is a one-bowl easy to make festive bake.  This simple cake is made using oil for a lighter, fluffier consistency, and sweetened with a combination of sugar and honey .

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Polish

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 386kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

• ▢
  Electric mixer
• ▢
  Medium loaf pan

Ingredients

• ▢ 250 g flour
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ⅓ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ▢ 3 tsp mixed spice
• ▢ 1½ tsp ground ginger
• ▢ 1¼ tbsp cacao/cocoa powder
• ▢ 90 g dark brown soft sugar
• ▢ pinch of salt
• ▢ 120 ml runny honey
• ▢ 100 ml vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 80 ml buttermilk/kefir
• ▢ ⅔ cup crystallised ginger or sultanas/raisins/mixed dried fruit

For the Icing

• ▢ 4 tbsp icing sugar approx. 30 g
• ▢ 1 tbsp orange/clementine juice fresh
• ▢ 2-3 tbsp mixed crushed nuts optional

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Grease a medium loaf tin and line with baking paper. Set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, ginger, cocoa, brown sugar and salt, stir thoroughly using a whisk and set aside. 
• Beat together the eggs, honey and oil for 2 minutes. Gradually add the dry mixture alternating with the buttermilk until almost combined. Fold in the crystallised ginger and mix the dry ingredients in completely with a spoon (but do not overstir).  
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour (check if ready with a toothpick - it should come out clean). Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Lift the cake out of the tin (with the paper) and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
• To make the icing combine the icing sugar with the orange juice and stir until smooth. Scatter the crushed nuts over the top of the cake (optional) and drizzle over the icing.  

Notes

• Do NOT overstir the batter.
• *Crystallised ginger (also called candied ginger) is available in most supermarkets in the UK. You might be able to also find it in health food shops or buy it online.  Stem ginger in syrup is not the same product and should NOT be used in this recipe.
• You can use sultanas or raisins instead of crystallised ginger.
• Ensure the cake has had time to cool completely before decorating it.
• Storing: cover with foil or plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: once completely cooled place the cake in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 108IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 3mg

*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

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