Gingerbread Layer Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream!
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 10 - 12
Ingredients
  • For the Cake:
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • ¾ cup un-salted butter room temp
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ mascarpone
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 ½ tsp. ginger
  • ¼ tsp. all spice
  • ½ tsp. nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 cup whole milk – room temp
  • ¼ cup buttermilk - room temp
  • For the Maple Mascarpone Buttercream
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 16 oz mascarpone
  • 2 sticks un-salted butter
  • 6-8 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 4 tbsp. heavy cream
  • Candied cranberries for garnish
Instructions
  1. For the Cake:
  2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and spray and line 3 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine all your dry ingredients and spices. Whisk to combine and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. Slowly add in the granulated sugar and mix for another 2 minutes add the brown sugar and mix until lighter and fluffy, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mascarpone and mix to combine. Next add the molasses and mix to incorporate. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time and mix after each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Add a ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix to just incorporate. Add the butter milk and mix to combine. Add another 3rd of the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. Add the milk and continue to mix. Add the last of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
  5. Add batter evenly between the three cakes pans. Tap the pans on the counter a couple of times to get rid of air bubbles and light smooth tops with off-set spatula or knife. Bake in the oven staggered. Two on middle rack and one on bottom. Rotate and switch from top to bottom half-way through baking. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until toothpick or cake skewer comes out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs are ok.
  6. Let cakes cool in pan for about 10 minutes on a rack. Carefully turn cakes out and allow to cool completely on racks.
  7. For the Buttercream:
  8. While cakes are cooling make the buttercream. Cream the butter until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mascarpone and mix to combine. Next add the maple syrup and mix to incorporate. Add half of the powdered sugar a cup at time and mix after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of cream and mix. Add the rest of the powdered sugar in batches and mix to combine. Add additional cream to get your desired consistency.
  9. To frost the cooled cakes, level off the dome top with a cake leveler or serrated knife. place one layer on a cake stand or decorating turn table.
  10. Add about a cup of frosting and smooth over cake with off-set spatula or knife. Place second layer on top of frosting and repeat and do the same with the third layer. Proceed to frosting the entire cake with a crumb coat. Thin layer of frosting that picks up the crumbs from the cake to act as your base. Pop in the fridge for about 10 minutes before adding the second layer of frosting to the cake to ensure even coating and no crumbs show through on your final coat.
  11. Use the rest of the frosting to create and even layer of frosting over entire cake so no cake shows through. Finish as desired with either a smooth coat or create ridges with off-set spatula going around the entire cake.
  12. Top with candied cranberries. Store cake covered in air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Allow cake to come to room temperature before serving.
  13. Enjoy!
Recipe by Social Buttercream at http://socialbuttercream.com/2018/11/24/gingerbread-layer-cake-with-maple-mascarpone-buttercream-go-big-all-season-long/