Gingerbread C(upc)ake with Lemon Curd Cranberry Compote Filling and Mascarpone Frosting and Sugared Cranberries

recipe from la peche fraise

makes a 2 layer 6-inch cake (or 18 cupcakes)
Make sugared cranberries the night before

Cake

260 grams flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
scant 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
big pinch ground cloves
pinch cardamom
pinch coriander
pinch ground pepper
pinch nutmeg
115 grams unsalted butter
105 grams brown sugar
2 eggs
120 grams molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease and flour 2 6-inch round pans.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
5. Scrape the bowl and add the molasses and eggs; cream until the mixture is homogeneous (will be liquid).
6. Add in the buttermilk and stir to mix.
7. Add the dry ingredients and stir to mix.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, until center is springy and cake is fragrant. If doing cupcakes, cook 18 minutes.

Cranberry Compote

3/4 cup cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple cider

1. Place all ingredients in a deep pot and bring to a boil.
2. Allow to boil until all of the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened considerably.
3. Cool completely before using.

Lemon Curd

3 tbsp + 1 tsp lemon juice
3 egg yolks
50 grams sugar
14 grams butter

1. Place the lemon juice in a small sauce pot and heat until simmering.
2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together well while the lemon juice heats up.
3. Once the juice is simmering, quickly whisk in the yolk/sugar mixture and continue to whisk and heat until the curd has thickened enough to leave a trail on the back of a spatula.
4. Allow to cool completely before using.

Mascarpone Frosting

450 grams mascarpone
110 grams powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons (30-60 grams) heavy cream

1. Whip the mascarpone until very fluffy and light.
2. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat while streaming in 2 tablespoons of cream.
3. If the frosting is too thick, add 2 more tablespoons of cream, or as needed.

Sugared Cranberries

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar for dusting

1. Heat the water and first measure of sugar together in a sauce pot until sugar is dissolved.
2. Allow to cool and then place the cranberries into the sugar syrup.
3. Allow to sit overnight, or at least 5 hours.
4. Drain the cranberries and allow them to sit for 10 minutes to become slightly tacky.
5. Place the second measure of sugar in a bowl and place the cranberries in the bowl.
6. Shake around so that all of the cranberries are covered in sugar.

Assembly

1. Carefully split each of the layers of cake into two.
2. Place a dot of frosting on your cake stand or board and place the first layer onto the frosting.
3. Spread 1/3-1/2 of the cranberry compote onto the first layer.
4. Place the second layer of cake onto the first and spread with almost all of the lemon curd.
5. Place the third layer and spread on almost all of the remaining cranberry compote.
6. Top with the fourth layer and frost with the mascarpone frosting as desired.
7. To smooth the frosting, run a slightly hot knife over the surface of the cake.
8. Decorate with sugared cranberries and chopped pistachios.