Pumpkin Spice Cake With Maple Ginger Mascarpone Topping

• 1/2 pound plus two tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 firm apples, golden or gala, or whatever you like
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cooked pumpkin (canned is fine)
• 1 3/4 cups white flour
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 4 tablespoons ginger infused maple syrup
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. heat oven to 350 degrees. peel, core and thinly slice the apples. heat two tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan and saute the apples until they start to brown. add one tablespoon of the maple syrup and cook for another two minutes. remove from heat and set aside.
2. sift all dry ingredients except the wheat germ together and then add the wheat germ and wisk through so it's mixed in.
3. in a separate bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. blend in the eggs, one at a time, and the pumpkin. with the blender or kitchen aid on a low speed, mix in half of the flour mixture then half the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour and rest of buttermilk. gently fold in the apples, raisins and nuts. spoon batter into a angel food cake pan or bundt pan. sprinkle the pumpkin seeds over the top and bake for 50 minutes.
4. while the cake is in the oven you can make the topping. place the mascarpone cheese in a bowl and beat at a high speed until it gets fluffy, about two or three mintues. add the vanilla, maple syrup and ginger and beat for a few minutes more. spoon over each slice of cake when you serve it.

unsalted butter, firm apples, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin, white flour, toasted wheat germ, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ground cinnamon, buttermilk, walnuts, golden raisins, pumpkin seeds, ginger infused maple syrup, mascarpone cheese, vanilla

Taken from food52.com/recipes/1275-pumpkin-spice-cake-with-maple-ginger-mascarpone-topping (may not work)