Gingerbread Layer Cake with Limoncello Buttercream

Gingerbread Layer Cake with Limoncello Buttercream

I put this together for my best friend for her birthday. She lost her mother many years ago. Because of that, I often feel her mother tapping me on the shoulder and asking me to make her baby girl a birthday cake. I asked my friend to name her favorite birthday cake as a child. She said gingerbread with lemon sauce. I was inspired to take things a few steps further.

2  Cake

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¾ Salt

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 1/3 cups unsulfured molasses

3 large eggs, room temperature, beaten

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and spray with veggie spray and dust with flour

2.     Beat butter with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy.

3.     Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy.

4.     Sift flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into a large bowl.

5.     Combine boiling water and baking soda in a large measuring cup.

6.     Add molasses to butter and sugar mixture and beat well.

7.     Add grated ginger, baking soda/water mixture, and flour/spice mixture.

8.     Add beaten eggs and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed.

9.     Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of each comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans set on wire racks for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and let cool completely.

10.  Trim top of each cake using a serrated knife to create a level surface. Transfer 1 cake to a platter. Spread 1 1/4 cups frosting over the top. Top with another cake. Spread 1 1/4 cups frosting over the top. Top with remaining cake. Spread a generous 1/2 cup frosting in a thin layer over top and sides of cake to create a crumb coat. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake using a mini offset spatula to make small swoops on top. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Limoncello Buttercream Frosting with Candied Lemon Peel

1/4 cup Limoncello from 5 and 20 Distillery

juice and rind of one large lemon

1 lb confectionary sugar

1 tablespoon lemon extract or to taste

2 sticks of softened unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 drops pastel yellow food color

2 tablespoons half and half

1. Add softened butter to large food processor bowl

2. Add confectionary sugar in 3 batches and process until smooth before adding next third

3. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Candied Lemon Peel

1.Peel 2 lemons with a potato peeler

2. Slice the lemon peel into the thinnest slices you can manage with a small pairing knife.

3. Add 2 cups of water and the lemon peel to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as water comes to a boil, throw out and water and add another 2 cups of water. Repeat the process one more time.

4. Drain the peel, mix with ¼ cup of water and ½ of sugar in the saucepan.

5. Heat on medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Cook for a few minutes until the peel becomes tender and translucent.

6. Drain the peel and place on parchment paper. Sprinkle another ¼ of sugar and rub the sugar into the peel.

As you frost the cake you may need to have a glass of hot water on hand to dip a butter knife into in order to smooth out the frosting. There’s a lot of butter in there. It's almost as thick as fondant and can be pressed into the cake in spots and then smoothed over with the hot, wet butter knife.