Pumpkin Spice Cake with Mascarpone

This batter also makes delicious muffins, perfect for a day-after-Thanksgiving brunch.

Developed by test kitchen assistant Phillip Basone, this moist, warmly-spiced cake also makes wonderful muffins.

Yield: makes Two 8" Cakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour, plus more for pan
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground clove
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground green cardamom
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• Zest of 1 orange
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• 1 1⁄4 cups canola oil, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 8 oz. mascarpone, softened
• 1⁄4 cup pistachios
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• 1⁄4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 7 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 cups puréed, roasted pumpkin or squash
• 1 1⁄2 cups evaporated milk
• 1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat an oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 8" cake pans and set aside.
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3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, clove, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and salt and set aside. In another larger bowl, mix eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, vanilla and orange zest. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture and mix well. Divide batter between prepared pans.
4. Using a spoon, drop spoonfuls of mascarpone on tops of each cake, spaced about 2" apart and and using a toothpick or paring knife, swirl cheese into batter. Sprinkle seeds over cakes and bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
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6. Using your fingers, rub flour, butter, and 1⁄2 tsp. salt together in a bowl until pea-size crumbles form. Add 1⁄4 cup ice-cold water; stir until dough forms. Form into a disk; wrap and chill for 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining salt, pumpkin, milk, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and eggs in a bowl until smooth; set aside.
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8. Heat oven to 375°. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to 1⁄4" thickness. Transfer to a 9" pie dish, and trim excess dough from edges; crimp with a fork or your fingers, if you like. Pour filling into crust; bake until the middle jiggles slightly when the pie dish is tapped, about 45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.