Christmas Cranberry Cake
Candied berries make this dessert sparkle and shine.
By Georgia Goode and Recipe by Taylor Wann
If a white Christmas isn't in the cards this year, you can still dive into this snow-white cranberry Christmas cake. (Even if it does snow, bake it anyway!) Fresh cranberries, studded throughout like ornaments, provide a tart pop to balance the dense vanilla cake and tangy cream cheese frosting. Cranberries are also candied and sprinkled on top for a little extra sparkle. This cake skips the fussy tiers in favor of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish so it's extra easy to bake, frost, and serve. Bonus: It travels well too! Just be sure to hold off on the frosting if you're going a long distance—it shouldn't sit out more than two hours once frosted. Make this one of your go-to Christmas cakes—it's especially perfect for a daytime potluck or office party.
Is it better to use fresh or frozen cranberries for baking?
You can use either for this cake recipe, which means you can make it any time of year you please! But if you use frozen berries, make sure to thaw them first, for both the cake and candied berries. Frozen berries that haven't been thawed could alter the cake's bake time and keep the candy coating from sticking properly.
Should Christmas cranberry cake be refrigerated?
Yes! Because it's topped with cream cheese frosting, it should be stored in the fridge. The 13-by-9-inch pan it bakes in makes it especially easy to store! Just wrap the top in plastic wrap to keep it fresh. Leftovers will stay good for up to 5 days, Just know, the longer it sits, the less the candied cranberries will hold up.
What is a substitute for sparkling sugar?
If you don't have sparkling sugar, roll the cooked and dried cranberries in granulated sugar or demerara sugar (a raw, coarse sugar also called turbinado). Skip brown sugar here—it would dissolve on the cranberries.
Do you need to sift powdered sugar?
Powdered sugar can start to clump after the bag is opened, and those clumps can make your frosting a bit lumpy. If you see lots of clumps, go ahead and sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl before measuring.
How do you keep berries from sinking in a cake?
The easiest way to keep berries from sinking is to start with a thicker batter. This recipe has a bit more flour, a bit less liquid, and sour cream for a pound cake–like batter that will help the fruit stay afloat.
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- Yields:
- 12 - 15 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 15 mins
- Total Time:
- 50 mins
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 1/2 c.
all-purpose flour
- 1 2/3 c.
sugar
- 2 tsp.
baking powder
- 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 c.
whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 c.
sour cream, room temperature
- 1 c.
unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1
egg + 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp.
vanilla extract
- 2 c.
cranberries, fresh or frozen and thawed
For the Frosting:
- 1
(8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp.
whole milk
- 1 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 4 c.
powdered sugar
For the Candied Cranberries (optional):
- 1/2 c.
granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 c.
cranberries, fresh or frozen thawed
- 1 c.
sparkling sugar
Directions
- Step 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch cake pan with cooking spray.
- Step 2In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk and sour cream, mixing on low until just combined. Slowly add the melted butter, egg and egg whites, and vanilla, mixing until just combined. Using a spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then gently fold in the cranberries.
- Step 3Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and a wooden toothpick comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Step 4Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Step 5For the frosting: Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the milk, vanilla, and salt. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until combined.
- Step 6Spread the cream cheese frosting to cover the cake and decorate with candied cranberries, if using.
- Step 7For the candied cranberries: In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine the granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
- Step 8Add the cranberries to the cooled mixture and toss to coat. Transfer the soaked berries to a cooling rack set over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let the cranberries sit for 1 hour, or until the simple syrup has dried slightly and become sticky on the cranberries.
- Step 9Toss the cranberries in sparkling sugar and place back on the wire rack until ready to decorate the cake.
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