Gingerbread Layer Cake With Mascarpone Cream

By Samantha Seneviratne

Published Nov. 13, 2024

Gingerbread Layer Cake With Mascarpone Cream
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
3 hours 25 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 10 minutes, plus about 2 hours’ cooling
Rating
5(190)
Comments
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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.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

    For the Cake

    • ¾cup/180 milliliters vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
    • 2¼cups/288 grams all-purpose flour
    • 2teaspoons ground ginger
    • 1½teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1½teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • ¾teaspoon baking powder
    • ¾teaspoon baking soda 
    • ½teaspoon ground cardamom 
    • ¼teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1packed cup/220 grams dark brown sugar
    • ½cup/120 milliliters molasses
    • ½cup/120 milliliters honey
    • 2large eggs 
    • ¾cup/180 milliliters plain whole milk yogurt (not Greek)

    For the Frosting

    • 2cups/475 milliliters heavy cream
    • 1cup/8 ounces mascarpone cheese
    • ½cup/105 grams powdered sugar
    • 1tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

630 calories; 37 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 71 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 52 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 416 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 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. Step 2

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

  3. Step 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. Step 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. Step 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. Step 6

    Transfer one cake layer to a serving plate. Top with about 1½ cups frosting, spreading it in an even layer but leaving a 1-inch border. Top with another cake layer and another 1½ 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.)

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Ratings

5 out of 5
190 user ratings
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Comments

conehead

Every ginger cake is enhanced by 1-2 tsp ground white pepper.

jillian

Love ginger cakes, this is a good one to rotate in because it’s lighter (for a more intense ginger cake The Marrow’s one by Melissa Clark is great). I baked this cake in three 6” rounds and each layer had a lot of height. Stacked the layers with the frosting right before hosting a dinner party and about 3/4 through the party the cream warmed up and the top two layers slid off, took out a wine glass and splatted on the floor. We checked for glass shards and ate it anyway — delicious

Rose

Some notes are mentioning the frosting is too soft. I avoided this by whipping the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cold cream to just under soft peaks. I then put in the cold mascarpone and whipped it on medium until stiff. It only took a few seconds. Be careful not to over whip. I had no issue with three layers and I ended up covering the whole cake. Barely had enough, but it worked out.

SBK

Can I make this with 2-1 bob gluten free flour?

cnc

Turned out great! I love the combo of the rich cake with the light and airy frosting. I used the exact ingredients listed. I only had 9" cake pans, so I did a two layer cake instead of three and frosted the entire cake. I followed the tip about whipping the cream, sugar and vanilla first into soft peaks, and then adding the mascarpone and whipping to stiff peaks. The frosting was perfect!

I will make again, and again!

I took the advice of another commenter to whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla a bit before adding the cold mascarpone. Other than that, I followed the recipe. It was as beautiful as it was delicious. I worried the cream would wilt too quickly, but it still looked good, and may have tasted even better, when I ate a piece for breakfast the next day.

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