• Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Grease and line a 23x13 cm (9×5-inch) loaf pan with baking or parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flours, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda.
• In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. Add the molasses, vanilla and applesauce.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk in in two additions (dry-wet-dry) and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing!
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for around 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. All ovens are different and your loaf cake could take a little more or less time. If it starts to look very brown on the outside but isn’t yet cooked on the inside, cover with aluminium foil. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.

Glaze:

• Beat mascarpone, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar in 2 additions. Beat until creamy. Add more sugar or juice as needed for easy spreading.