Martha who??

So for a couple of years I have been a subscriber to Martha Stewart Living.  I love her ideas, although for awhile I was finding that when I tried to make some of her recipes or crafts, it was unsuccessful because Martha is to particular and perfect that no matter how hard I tried I could never be Martha!!  A blessing and a curse?!  So at the beginning of July, I threw a baby shower for my sweet friend Jenny and was inspired by Martha's book themed shower with her 'Sugar and Spice' cake.  I attempted the cake...I conquered and made the cake!  AND...wait for it...it was SIMPLE!!!  Yes anyone can do it!!!  Here is the recipe, most ingredients you will have in your house already except for cake flour and mascarpone cheese, but you will want to RUN out and buy them because this is one of the BEST cakes EVER!!
Note: If you make the 4 layers as the recipe discusses, you will want to double the Mascarpone frosting.  I have made it with just 2 layers (not slicing between the 2 round cakes) and only used the written Mascarpone frosting.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional...I didn't have so I didn't use)
• Pinch of ground cloves (optional...I didn't have so I didn't use)
• Salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (I never buy unsalted butter)
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups blackberry jam (from one 17.5-ounce jar)

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, line with parchment, and spray parchment. Sift flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute more.
3. Divide batter among cake pans, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks, and let cool for 20 minutes. Turn out cakes from pans, remove parchment, and flip right side up. Let cool completely.
4. Trim tops of cakes to create a flat surface. Cut cakes in half horizontally. Spread 1/2 cup jam onto 1 layer, then spread 1 cup frosting over jam. Top with another cake layer. Repeat layering cakes with jam and frosting, leaving top layer (bottom side up) uncovered.

 

Mascarpone Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

1. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks form (be careful not to overbeat, or cream will be grainy). In another bowl, whisk together mascarpone and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated. Use immediately.