Molasses-Gingerbread Cake With Mascarpone Cream

Recipe by Katie Rosenhouse published in Food & Wine April 2009. ***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

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 9
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• CAKE

• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3⁄4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 3⁄4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup canola oil, plus
• 2  tablespoons canola oil
• 3⁄4 cup dark brown sugar, plus
• 2  tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup molasses, plus
• 2  tablespoons molasses
• 1⁄4 cup honey, plus
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon  finely grated lemon zest
• 3⁄4 cup boiling water

• ORANGE CONFIT

• 1  orange, zest of, peeled with a vegetable peeler and sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch strips
• 4  cups water
• 1⁄2 cup sugar

• MASCARPONE CREAM

• 1  cup mascarpone, at room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 3⁄4 teaspoon  finely grated orange zest
• 2  tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1  pinch salt

Directions

1. Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°. 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. Meanwhile, Make the Orange Confit: 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. Make the Mascarpone Cream: 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.