1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease an 8 X 4 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or coconut oil.
3. Bring the diet drink to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda (mixture will foam up).
5. When foaming subsides, stir in molasses and coconut palm sugar. Set mixture aside.
6. Whisk the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, pepper and salt together in a large bowl.
7. Transfer the diet drink-molasses mixture to a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, applesauce, and grated ginger until combined.
8. Whisk the wet mixture into the flour mixture in thirds, stirring continuously until completely smooth.
9. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and gently tap the bottom of the pan against a hard surface to pop any air bubbles.
10. Bake until the top of the loaf is just firm to the touch, about 35-40 minutes.
11. Leave loaf in pan until cool, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from pan.
12. Store leftovers in plastic wrap or tinfoil at room temperature for 3-5 days.

*the recipe originally used diet Dr. Pepper which is delicious but not the healthiest. Feel free to swap for pop or use sparking water!