Description
Spiced gingerbread sheet cake topped with swirls of vanilla mascarpone frosting and sugared cranberries makes the perfect holiday sheet cake!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup molasses, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
Sugared Cranberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup sugar, for rolling
Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until pale and fluffy; beat in vanilla and molasses until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Combine Greek yogurt and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
- Spoon batter into prepared baking pan and smooth with an offset spatula; tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- While the cake bakes, make the sugared cranberries. Place a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add cranberries to the saucepan and coat completely in the simple syrup. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to the wire rack. Separate the cranberries into a single layer, spaced 1-inch apart. Let dry for 1 hour, then roll the cranberries in sugar to coat. Transfer to a clean baking sheet and let dry for 1 hour before using.
- For the frosting, beat butter, mascarpone, and salt in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar on low speed 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Add milk and mix in on low speed until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat frosting for 1 minute, until light and airy.
- Dollop frosting over cooled cake and swirl with an offset spatula. Chill cake for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before slicing and serving topped with sugared cranberries.
Keywords: Gingerbread, Spice, Sheet Cake, Cake