Molasses-Gingerbread Cake with Mascarpone Cream
Recipe from
Food & Wine
Katie Rosenhouse makes gingerbread year-round--not just at Christmastime. Her supermoist cake, flavored with molasses for a mellow sweetness, is excellent with wine-poached pears or a topping of whipped mascarpone and sugary, slightly bitter confited orange peel.

Servings:
9
Prep Time:
55 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
Cake
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2 1/4 cupsall-purpose floursee savings

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1 3/4 teaspoonsground gingersee savings

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1 teaspooncinnamonsee savings

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1 3/4 teaspoonsbaking sodasee savings

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1/2 teaspoonsaltsee savings

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3/4 cupplus 2 tablespoons canola oilsee savings

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3/4 cupplus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugarsee savings

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1/2 cupplus 2 tablespoons molassessee savings

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1/4 cupplus 2 tablespoons honeysee savings

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2eggssee savings

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1 teaspoonfinely grated lemon zestsee savings

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3/4 cupboiling watersee savings

Orange Confit
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1orange, zest peeled with a vegetable peeler and sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch stripssee savings

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4 cupswatersee savings

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1/2 cupsugarsee savings

Mascarpone Cream
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1 cupmascarpone, at room temperaturesee savings

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3/4 cupheavy creamsee savings

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3/4 teaspoonfinely grated orange zestsee savings

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2 tablespoonsconfectioners' sugarsee savings

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Pinch of saltsee savings

Directions
1.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the canola oil with the brown sugar, molasses, honey, eggs and lemon zest until smooth. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. Whisk in the boiling water. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack and let the cake cool completely, about 2 hours.
2.
In a medium saucepan, combine the strips of orange zest with the water and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until syrupy and the orange zest is soft, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the orange confit to a plate; discard the syrup.
3.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the mascarpone with the cream, orange zest, confectioners' sugar and salt until soft peaks form.
4.
Cut the molasses-gingerbread cake into squares and transfer to plates. Dollop the mascarpone cream on top, garnish with the orange confit and serve.
MAKE AHEAD
The cake can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. The orange confit can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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