Gingerbread Layer Cake With Mascarpone Cream

Gingerbread Layer Cake With Mascarpone Cream

12 servings
This moist gently spiced cake would be delicious on its own but slathered with an extra-creamy mascarpone frosting it becomes divine, each cutting the richness of the other in just the right way. A classic cream cheese frosting would also be good, adding a slight tang to the overall cake. Be sure to use regular, unsulphured molasses. Blackstrap molasses is too strong for most baking and its use will result in a dense, unpleasant cake. For easy cleanup, measure the vegetable oil before the molasses and honey — the residual oil should help the sticky ingredients slide out with ease.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup/180 milliliters vegetable oil

    plus more for the pan

  • 2 1/4 cups/288 grams all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

    such as Diamond Crystal

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 packed cup/220 grams dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup/120 milliliters molasses
  • 1/2 cup/120 milliliters honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup/180 milliliters plain whole milk yogurt

    not Greek

  • 2 cups/475 milliliters heavy cream
  • 1 cup/8 ounces mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup/105 grams powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

Directions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cake: Oil three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Lightly oil the parchment.

  2. 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and cloves.

  3. 3

    In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, molasses, honey, eggs and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and, using a large whisk, mix them into the wet ingredients until just combined.

  4. 4

    Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for about 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each cake layer and flip them out onto a rack to cool completely.

  5. 5

    Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the heavy cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste until stiff peaks form.

  6. 6

    Transfer one cake layer to a serving plate. Top with about 1 1/2 cups frosting, spreading it in an even layer but leaving a 1-inch border. Top with another cake layer and another 1 1/2 cups frosting. Top with remaining cake layer and frosting. (Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days but allow to come to room temperature to serve.)

Gingerbread Layer Cake With Mascarpone Cream

Gingerbread Layer Cake With Mascarpone Cream

205 min12 servings

Similar Recipes

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

Ring in the holiday season with this festive cake! This gingerbread bundt cake is spiced with ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and all spice.

70 minutes
Fresh Ginger Cake

Fresh Ginger Cake

David Lebovitz's headily spiced cake, which Amanda Hesser wrote about in The Times in 1999, calls for a quarter-pound of fresh ginger. Mr. Lebovitz, who was a pastry chef at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., has since had a long career as a cookbook author and blogger. But this recipe, from his cookbook “Room for Dessert,” is from relatively early in his writing career. Boldly flavored with just cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and, yes, a lot of fresh ginger, it is simplicity exemplified, coming together quickly and without a mixer. The cake — much like the recipe itself — ages well, its flavors melding and deepening over time.

318 kcal
Gingerbread Bars

Gingerbread Bars

These wonderfully-spiced gingerbread cookie bars topped with simple glaze are the perfect holiday treat. They're easy to make and have a perfectly moist, fudgy texture that makes them absolutely irresistible.

37 minutes
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake Recipe

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake Recipe

The most tender gluten free gingerbread cake you've ever had, with all the right warm winter spices and plenty of molasses, maple syrup, and honey. It's your new favorite snack cake!

65 minutes9 servings455 kcal
Gingerbread brownies

Gingerbread brownies

Topped with a drizzle of chocolate and a dusting of icing sugar, indulgent gingerbread brownies make the perfect festive gift.

40 minutes
Pistachio Cake with Pomegranate Glaze

Pistachio Cake with Pomegranate Glaze

15 minutes
Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

This classic cut-out gingerbread cookie recipe is easy to make, perfect for decorating, and always so delicious.

35 minutes0 About 45 cookies
Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

These traditional cookies came to The Times by way of Jennifer Steinhauer in an article about her grandmother's beloved Christmas cookie recipes. Isabelle Steinhauer would bake between “15 and 20 varieties each season: cream cheese wreaths shot from a cookie press; papery wafers carefully dipped in colored sugar; elaborate cutout cookies of nursery rhyme characters, their eyes fashioned from metallic dragées that the F.D.A. has written off as inedible; all manner of confections with nuts.” There's nothing fancy about these gingerbread cookies, but they are tender, gently spiced (feel free to add more to taste) and completely wonderful with a glass of cold milk. If you don't like using shortening, some readers have had good luck using half solid coconut oil and half softened butter instead.

60 minutes3 dozen cookies

Ratings & Reviews

Be the First to Rate

Your rating helps others discover amazing recipes. Share your experience and let others know what you think!

About this Recipe

Craving a show-stopping dessert that’s both comforting and elegant? This Gingerbread Layer Cake With Mascarpone Cream is the answer, delivering sophisticated flavor in every moist, spiced bite.

Why This Cake Works

The magic of this cake lies in its harmonious balance. A moist, gently spiced gingerbread cake forms the perfect foundation, enhanced by the subtle richness of whole milk yogurt. But what truly elevates it to divine status is the extra-creamy mascarpone frosting, which cuts through the cake's warmth with its delicate tang, creating a truly irresistible experience. Using regular unsulphured molasses is key for that ideal, sweet gingerbread flavor without any harshness.

What to Expect

Prepare for a dessert that sings with the cozy flavors of the holidays but is welcome any time of year. You’ll experience a cake with an incredibly tender crumb, deeply aromatic with notes of ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. The frosting is luscious and smooth, offering a delightful counterpoint to the warm spices. It’s a wonderfully decadent treat that manages to feel both familiar and special.

Customization & Variations

While the mascarpone cream is a dream, a classic cream cheese frosting offers a lovely, slight tang if you prefer. To ensure the best texture, always use regular molasses; blackstrap molasses is too strong and will result in a dense cake. When measuring sticky ingredients like molasses and honey, an expert tip is to measure the vegetable oil first—the residual oil helps the other thick liquids slide out of the measuring cup with ease, making cleanup a breeze.

Serving & Context

This Gingerbread Layer Cake is perfect for festive gatherings, holiday celebrations, or simply as a luxurious weekend treat. Serve it alongside a hot cup of coffee or a comforting mug of tea for an exquisite pairing that will delight your guests and your family alike.

Frequently Asked Questions