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Pumpkin Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients
  

For the Cake:

  • butter, for greasing the pans
  • 3 C all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 C light brown sugar
  • 1 15-oz can pure pumkin puree (not pumkin mix)
  • 1 C canola or vegetable oil

For the Frosting:

  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened
  • 3 C confectioner's (icing) sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 C mascarpone cheese softened

Instructions
 

Make the Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar, pumpkin and oil, using a hand blender at medium-high speed, until blended. At low speed, beat in dry ingredients just until smooth.
  • Scrape the batter evenly into prepared pans, then bake in the center of the oven about 40 minutes, or until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool the cake in pans for 30 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper once cool.

Meanwhile, Make the Frosting:

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt, using a hand mixer, until smooth.
  • Add the mascarpone anad beat at high speed until smooth. (Do not overbeat). Refrigerate frosting until just set, about 30 minutes.

Frost the Cake:

  • Set one cake layer on a platter. (Gently carve off the rounded top of this lower cake layer, if you prefer it to be flat). Spread 3/4 cup of frosting over the top and cover with second cake layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake and refrigerate about 15 minutes until set. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate until the frosting is firm, about 30 minutes, before serving.
  • Enjoy!