This perfectly balanced white chocolate cranberry cake is made with tart cranberries, vanilla cake, and a dreamy white chocolate frosting!
White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
This might be the most perfect holiday cake to ever exist. There I said it. Made with layers of tender, moist, vanilla cake studded with cranberries and a hint of orange zest, a luscious white chocolate frosting, and, of course, topped off with sparkling cranberries, this white chocolate cranberry cake is the perfect centerpiece for all your holiday celebrations! The tart cranberries perfectly complement the sweetness of the white chocolate buttercream and that orange zest really ties it all together. So go ahead and have a slice. Or five.
What ingredients will you need for this cranberry layer cake?
This white chocolate cranberry cake calls for a fair amount of ingredients, but most of them are basics like flour, sugar, butter, etc. And while you might need a few extra ingredients, the result tastes worthy of a bakery! Here’s your shopping list:
- Butter
- Vegetable Oil
- Granulated Sugar
- Orange Zest
- Cranberries
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Cake Flour (can also sub all-purpose flour!)
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Milk
- Powdered Sugar
- White Chocolate
How to make “sparkling cranberries”
You’ll never believe how easy it is to make the cute sparkling cranberries that finish off this cranberry cake. You’ll need fresh cranberries, sugar, and water and that’s about it! You’ll make a simple syrup out of the sugar and water, boil it and then add the cranberries to the mixture. This will cook them slightly and encase them in a crunchy, sugary coating. Last, coat them in sugar for the signature “sparkly” look! You can use them to decorate your cake or to snack on–the sweet, sugary exterior perfectly complements the tart cranberries!
Our favorite tips for assembling the perfect holiday cake
If you’re new to layer cakes, they can seem a little intimidating–I get it! Making a homemade cake can seem daunting enough, let alone also making homemade frosting and then putting the two together in a cute way?! Luckily, I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve to make homemade layer cakes a whole lot easier!
- Make sure your cake layers are fully cooled before frosting: If there’s one rule you follow, let it be this. I get it–I’m impatient too, but if you try to frost a warm cake it will simply slip and slide apart and leave you with a mess. Wait until your cakes are COMPLETELY cool (I’m talking cold, no questionable spots, no good enoughs) to frost.
- Even off the tops of your cakes if they domed: This vanilla cake recipe should have a very even rise, but sometimes it will get a slight dome at the top if your pan is darker or if your oven is running hot. If you do have a domed cake I recommend evening off the top of your cake to make it flat. This will make it easier and neater to stack.
- Refrigerate before serving: This isn’t the case for every layer cake, but for this one it will help it stay together. The mascarpone frosting is delicious, but it is less stiff than a traditional buttercream. Refrigerating your cake will help it to set.
Happy holiday baking, my friends!
Enjoy!
XXX
This perfectly balanced white chocolate cranberry cake is made with tart cranberries, vanilla cake, and a dreamy white chocolate frosting! This white chocolate cranberry cake is perfect for your next holiday dessert spread!
-
Prep Time:
40 minutes -
Cook Time:
30 minutes -
Total Time:
2 hours -
Yield:
16 servings 1x -
Category:
dessert -
Method:
oven -
Cuisine:
american
-
Prep Time:
40 minutes -
Cook Time:
30 minutes -
Total Time:
2 hours -
Yield:
16 servings 1x -
Category:
dessert -
Method:
oven -
Cuisine:
american
Units:
Scale:
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: american
Ingredients
for the cranberry cake
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest (about 1 orange)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen work!)
for the white chocolate buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 ounces white chocolate, melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 – 4 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
for the sparkling cranberries (optional)
- 2 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for coating the cranberries)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease and flour three 6-inch cake pans*. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the softened butter and oil together until they become homogenous, about 3 minutes. This will not work if your butter is not completely room temperature.
- Slowly add the granulated sugar and orange zest to the oil and butter, beating on high until the mixture is light and fluffy and turns a very pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs in one at time, scraping down the bowl in between each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Beat the mixture on high for 3 minutes more to incorporate as much air as possible.
- In separate bowl sift together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder. Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in 4 batches, starting with the buttermilk and ending with the dry ingredients. It’s okay if the batter still has a few lumps in it–you don’t want to over mix it.
- Last, use a rubber spatula to fold in the cranberries.
- Split the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is a lightly golden brown and springs back when pressed. This will depend on your oven. Take out of the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.
- While the cakes cool, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and melted white chocolate. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed. Mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- Next make the sparkling cranberries. Combine the sugar and water in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, take the pot off the heat and add the cranberries, using a rubber spatula to evenly coat the cranberries and mix well, about 30 seconds.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, toss them in the remaining cup of sugar to coat them.
- Once your cakes are completely cool, assemble the cake. Place first cake on a cake stand, then top with generous amount of frosting. Layer second and third layers, frosting the same amount in between each. Frost edges of cake with remaining frosting. If making a naked cake, use an offset spatula to scrape off any excess frosting.
- Last, top with the sparkling cranberries! Place in the fridge until ready to serve!
Keywords: white chocolate cranberry cake
Notes
- You can also make a 2 layer 8 inch cake if you prefer!
Sofi | Broma Bakery
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