Gingerbread Cake With Cream Cheese & Cranberry Filling

This gingerbread cake is the perfect Christmas treat.

Cheers to a cake that encapsulates the flavors of Christmas. This cake is filled with a homemade cranberry jam, complemented with a silky-smooth mascarpone cream cheese frosting, and decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary.

Tami Steggell shares her recipe for gingerbread cake with cranberry filling.

For more recipes and ideas from Tami, connect with her on Instagram at @bitemeindustries.

Gingerbread Cake with Mascarpone Cream Cheese and Cranberry Jam Filling

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 12 to 16 slices

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour can sub all-purpose flour (130g)
• 3/4 tsp salt (4.5g)
• 3 tsp baking powder (14g)
• 2 tsp cinnamon (5g)
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves (1.5g)
• 1 and 1/2 tsp ground ginger (3.5g)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (.6g)
• 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature (227g)
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed (150g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature room temp (200g)
• 2 tsp vanilla (8.6ml)
• 3/4 cup molasses (250ml)
• 1 cup buttermilk (227ml)

Frosting

• 1 cup salted butter, soft at room temp (227g or 2 sticks)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, soft at room temp (227g)
• 12 ounces mascarpone cheese, (340g)
• 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted (680g)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract (4.5ml)
• 1/8 tsp salt (.6g)

Sugared Cranberries

• 1/2 cup water (120ml)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar, for rolling (200g)
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 7 sprigs fresh rosemary for decoration later

Cranberry Filling

• 1 (12oz) bag fresh cranberries (340g)
• Zest and juice of one medium orange
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
• 3 tsp corn starch (10g)

METHOD

Cake layers

Prepare three 9-inch cake pans and set aside. Preheat oven to 350° F/180°C
1. Add all dry ingredients together, whisk together (flour through nutmeg on ingredient list). Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and sugars with a hand or stand mixer, until well creamed together.
3. Scraping the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula along the way
• Add the eggs and vanilla, mix until combined.
• Add molasses, mix until combined.
• Add buttermilk, mix until combined.
4. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture on low speed, continuing a third at a time until fully incorporated
5. Evenly distribute the batter between the three prepared pans. Line with parchment. Using a kitchen scale, weigh 550 grams of batter into each pan. Bake for 20-24 minutes on 350°F/180°C, until cake layers look just and a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
6. Let cake cool in the pans 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Let cool completely before frosting or storing.

Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter, cream cheese, and mascarpone together with a hand or stand mixer for 2 minutes on high speed.
2. Mix in the powdered sugar, 2 cups at a time, until well combined.
3. Add vanilla, and salt and mix until well combined.

Sugared Cranberries

1. Mix water and sugar in a medium pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool for a bit before dipping the cranberries.
2. Next, add the cranberries into the pot of liquid sugar. Cover with a dish towel and let sit 10 minutes. Remove cranberries and set on a piece of parchment paper to dry for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour before sugaring. Once dry, roll the cranberries in a bowl of granulated sugar and set on a new, clean, dry piece of parchment paper and let set 10 minutes before using or storing.
• Make ahead Tip: Sugared cranberries can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge, in an airtight container with a small bowl of rice inside, to prevent sogginess.

Cranberry Filling

1. In a small pot add the cranberries and sugar. Stir cornstarch in the orange juice, add to the pot, bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss in orange zest at the end, stir, allow to cool a bit.
2. Feel free blend and smooth in a food processor for a smooth texture.

Cake Assembly + Frosting
1. Place one cake layer on your cake stand, and spread with 1 1/4 cups of the frosting, spreading the frosting out and a bit over the edges of the cake. Pipe a border of frosting around the edge, and then add 1/2 cup of cranberry jam. Spread evenly with an offset spatula to edges of piped border.
2. Add the second cake layer and smooth the frosting overhang around the sides to seal the layers together. Chill for 5-10 minutes, then repeat with the second layer. Tip: Add the top cake layer upside down to create a level top to your cake.
3. Use remaining frosting to cover the top of the cake and dot the bare sides of the cake in random places, all the way around. Use a cake smoother/scraper to smooth the dots of frosting by holding it against the side of the cake, and slowly turning the cake and pulling the cake smoother towards you while turning the cake the opposite direction. Continue until desired naked cake effect is reached.
4. Create decorative swirls on the top of the cake using a spoon or offset spatula and decorate with the rosemary in a wreath fashion. Add cranberries along the outer edge in a circle. If desired, sprinkle with white sanding sugar for a fresh snowfall effect.
5. Chill the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store leftovers tightly covered in the fridge for 4-6 days.