Triple-Ginger Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 3 cups cake flour sifted
• 16 ounce cream cheese room temperature
• 0.5 cup candied ginger minced
• 2 large eggs 
• 0.8 cup brown sugar packed ()
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 0.7 cup powdered sugar 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 cup butter unsalted room temperature (1 stick)
• 0.3 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• hand mixer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment.
2. Mix flour, crystallized ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
4. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat just until batter is smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans.
5. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run small knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Peel off parchment.
6. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy.
7. Add brown sugar, powdered sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger and vanilla; beat until well blended.
8. Mix in 1/4 cup crystallized ginger.
9. Place 1 cake layer on platter.
10. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer.
11. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
12. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup crystallized ginger decoratively atop cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.
13. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.)