Orange Cranberry Cake with Mascarpone Cream Cheese ___

Orange Cranberry Cake with Mascarpone Cream Cheese

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 oranges, zest only
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk

For the Filling:

  • 6 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen
  • 0.33 cup light brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons Cointreau or any orange liqueur
  • 1 orange, zest only
  • 1 cinnamon stick

For the Frosting:

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
  • fresh cranberries for garnish

Directions

To make the cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease 2 9x2 inch cake pans.
  3. In. Mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the butter, sugar, zest, extracts and Cinnamon. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  5. Add in the eggs one at a time making sure each is fully absorbed before adding the other.
  6. Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk, ending with the milk until all the dry ingredients are fully absorbed. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

To make the filling:

  1. Put a small saucepan over a medium flame. Add the cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice, cointreau, zest and cinnamon. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Cook for 15-20 minutes as the cranberries pop and become smooth. Set aside to cool.
  2. To make the frosting:
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat together the cream cheese, butter and sugar until combined. Fold in the mascarpone very gently (mascarpone can be delicate and has a tendency to curdle if you're not careful!

To assemble the cake:

  1. Trim the domes off the tops of the cakes so that the surfaces are flat.
  2. Position one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate cut side up. Spread the cranberry filling onto the bottom layer of the cake leaving a 1/4 inch border.
  3. Flip the second layer of cake over so the cut side is touching the filling. Frost with the mascarpone frosting and decorate with fresh cranberries.
  4. This cake may be made ahead of time and chilled in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.