Clementine & Ginger Layer Cake (Birthday Style!)

Today is my Mom's birthday, and as you can see, baking this cake is what I was getting up to at 2 am last night in preparation!


Ingredients:

a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
350g cup golden caster sugar
3 clementines
275g butter, room temperature
3 eggs
250g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
200ml buttermilk
300g confectioner's sugar
300g cream cheese ( I used mascarpone)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F and grease and line two 20cm/8 " round cake tins. Add the ginger to a saucepan with 150g sugar, 150 ml water and grated zest from 1 clementine. Stir to combine, and bring to the oil, before reducing the heat and simmering for 10 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Pour into a jug and leave to cool, then strain/sieve out the zest.

Beat 125g butter with 200g sugar until pale and creamy. One by one, beat in the eggs. Sift in the flour, baking powder, ginger and a pinch of salt, and fold with a metal spoon, then gently stir in the buttermilk. Spoon the mixture into the tins and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes then use a skewer to pierce small holes in the sponge. Drizzle over the cool syrup. Leave the cakes to cool for a further 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Beat the confectioner's sugar and remaining butter until light and creamy, then gradually beat in the cream cheese. Finely grate in the zest of the 2 remaining clementines, adding a squeeze of juice to achieve the consistency and flavor you like.

When the cakes are cool, cut in half horizontally. Place a sponge slice on a plate and top with some of the frosting. Repeat until you have got 4 layers, spreading the remaining frosting over the cake's top and sides.

Decorate as you wish! (in this case, with jelly orange & lemon slices)


(from Brilliant Baking- Jamie Oliver)