Spice Cake, Southern Praline

By MarieR

1 (9-inch) 3-layer cake- -keep refrigerated.

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sorghum syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup whole buttermilk
• Mascarpone Cream (recipe follows)
• Praline Sauce (recipe follows)
• Garnish: pecan halves and pieces
• Mascarpone Cream
• Yield: approximately 5 cups
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese, softened
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 (16-ounce) boxes confectioners' sugar
• Praline Sauce
• Yield: approximately 2 cups
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray 3 (9-inch) cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sorghum and beat for 1 minute; stop halfway through mixing to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Add vanilla, beating to combine.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be thick.) Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.
4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center of layers comes out
clean, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Let layers cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. 5. Spread Mascarpone Cream between layers and on top and sides of cake. Drizzle Praline Sauce over cake. Garnish with pecans, if desired. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Mascarpone Cream directions:
1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese at high speed with an electric mixer until smooth, approximately 4 minutes. Add mascarpone, and beat until smooth. Add butter and beat until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; add confectioners' sugar, and beat until combined.

Praline Sauce directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool completely.