Ant House Cake With Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting Food

CARROT CAKE WITH GINGER MASCARPONE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚. Grease 2 (9-by-2-inch) round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and grease and flour the pans.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, oil and eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until light yellow and thickened. Stir in the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together the 2 cups of flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.
• In a medium bowl, toss the carrots, raisins, walnuts and the 1 tablespoon of flour. Stir into the batter with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 10 minutes, lower the heat to 350˚ and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack and cool completely.
• Place one cake on a flat serving plate, rounded side down. Spread half the frosting on the top (not the sides). Place the second cake on top of the first cake, rounded side up. Frost just the top of the second cake. Sprinkle with the ginger and serve at room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, cream and vanilla together for about 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Add the crystallized ginger and salt and beat for 30 seconds more.

RUSSIAN ANT HILL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Combine 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of melted butter and sugar in a bowl; stir well. Whisk in sour cream until smooth. Mix flour and baking powder and sift over batter. Knead everything until a smooth, stiff dough forms.
• Using the meat grinder attachment of your kitchen aid, pass handfuls of the dough through the grinder. Spread ground dough pieces bits evenly over the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Beat 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of softened butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add dulce de leche and beat until well combined. Add the cooled cake pieces to the caramel mixture and fold in with a spatula until well combined.
• Mound the mixture onto a serving plate. Using buttered hands, form the mixture into an ant hill. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.

CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE FROSTING

Steps:

• This frosting needs to be used immediately to frost cake so make sure your cake is ready to be frosted.
• Sift cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Don't skip this step!
• Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk mascarpone cheese, cocoa powder and powdered sugar on medium speed until combined. Stop occasionally and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Because the cheese is cold it's ok if it takes 1-2 minutes or more until it's combined (If it doesn't come together easily, you can use the paddle attachment, and switch to the whisk attachment before adding the heavy cream). Add heavy cream and gradually increase speed to high. Whisk until desired consistency is reached; for a frosting that holds its shape well whisk until stiff peaks - keep whisking until the peaks stand straight up and appear firm when beaters are lifted up. Be careful at that point not to overwhip, which will cause the cream to have a grainy texture or eventually turn into butter. Use immediately.

COFFEE-CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH MOCHA-MASCARPONE FROSTING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
• Sift 2 cups cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add hot espresso-water mixture, beating just until smooth.
• Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run small knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto racks; lift pans off cakes and remove parchment. Place wire rack atop each cake; invert again so top side is up. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap each cake in plastic and store at room temperature.
• For frosting:
• Sift cocoa powder into large bowl; add espresso powder. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in small saucepan. Slowly pour cream over cocoa mixture, whisking until cocoa is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup cream and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.
• Add mascarpone to chilled cocoa mixture. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).
• Using pastry brush, brush off crumbs from cakes. Place 1 cake layer, top side up, on platter. Spoon 13/4 cups frosting in dollops over top of cake. Using offset spatula, spread frosting to edges. Top with second cake layer, top side up, pressing to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill 10 minutes. Using offset spatula, spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively. Top with chocolate curls, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.
• *An Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.