Gingerbread Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting

Loaf:
1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
2 1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 egg
1 tsp orange extract
1 C unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp baking soda

Cream Cheese Icing:
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp orange extract
2 1/2 C icing sugar

Loaf: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a separate bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients except the baking soda. In a large bowl, cream butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and beat.  Add orange extract.  Mix baking soda into applesauce, add to butter mixture, and beat. Add flour mixture and stir just until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until browned at edges and a skewer comes out clean in the middle of the loaf. Cool for ten minutes in the pan and invert loaf onto rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Icing: Beat above ingredients and ice the gingerbread loaf.