Vanilla Gingerbread Cake with Chai Mascarpone Buttercream
Ingredients
Classic Vanilla Cake
205gunsalted butter
1 1/4cupsugar
3eggs
2 1/4cupall purpose flour
1 1/2teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonsalt
200mlmilk
2teaspoonvanilla
Gingerbread Cake
68gunsalted butter
1/2cupsugar
1egg
1/4cupmolasses
1/2cupall-purpose flour
1/4cupgraham crumbs
1/2teaspoonbaking powder
1/2baking soda
1/8teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspooncinnamon
1/4teaspoonground ginger
1/4teaspoonground nutmeg
70mlmilk
1/2teaspoonvanilla
Chai Mascarpone Buttercream
250gmascarpone
227gunsalted butter
3cupsicing sugar
Two chai tea bags
Pinchof salt
Sugared Raspberries + Rosemary
Raspberries, or any berries, really
Rosemary
Egg white
Granulated sugar
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
Preheat oven to 350F and grease two cake pans.
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar together. Gradually add in the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on slow to combine. Pour in the milk and add in the remaining of the dry ingredients.
Divide the mixture evenly among the two prepared cake pans and bake for 33-35 minutes. The baking time really depends on the size of your cake pan. Check for doneness a few minutes before the 33 minute mark by using a toothpick - if the toothpick comes out clean, you're good to go! You can also test for doneness by gently pressing your finger on the cake - it should spring back up.
Gingerbread Graham Cake
Preheat oven to 350F and grease one cake pan.
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar together. Add molasses. Then add in the egg and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk to combine flour, graham crumbs, spices, baking powder, and salt.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on slow to combine. Pour in the milk and add in the remaining of the dry ingredients.
Baking time is the same as for the vanilla cake.
Chai Mascarpone Buttercream
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment combine the mascarpone and butter. Throw in the chai tea leaves and a pinch of salt. Mix on high until mixture is pale in colour and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, one cup at a time and mix until well-combined.
Sugared Berries and Rosemary
In a small bowl, whisk egg white until no longer stringy and gloopy (I know, professional vocabulary usage right there). Using a pastry brush, paint a light coat of egg white on the berries and rosemary sprigs. Make sure there are no large clumps of egg white on your berries or else they won't dry properly. Gently roll them in the sugar and place on parchment paper. Let them dry overnight and they will be ready the next morning.