This recipe is for a “Classic Cranberry Christmas Cake,” a festive and visually appealing dessert that features a tender, moist cake generously studded with vibrant red cranberries, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. The image displays a stack of two square slices of the cake, showcasing a light-colored crumb interspersed with bursts of bright red cranberries. A delicate layer of white powdered sugar covers the top of the cake, with fresh, sugared cranberries scattered around for an extra touch of holiday charm. This cake perfectly balances the sweetness of the cake with the tartness of the cranberries, making it an ideal treat for the holiday season, brunches, or any celebratory occasion.
Ingredients:
For the Cranberry Cake:
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) milk, at room temperature
- 2 cups (about 8 ounces or 225g) fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if frozen)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for tossing cranberries)
For the Dusting:
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), for dusting
Optional Garnish:
- Fresh cranberries, lightly sugared (if desired, for visual appeal)
Equipment:
- 9×13 inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowls (2)
- Electric mixer (stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld mixer)
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sifter or fine-mesh sieve (for powdered sugar)
- Wire cooling rack
Instructions:
Part 1: Prepare the Cranberry Cake Batter
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Toss Cranberries: In a small bowl, gently toss the fresh or frozen cranberries with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. This step helps prevent the cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened unsalted butter and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Beat in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Alternate Dry and Wet: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients (e.g., 1/3 dry, 1/2 milk, 1/3 dry, remaining milk, 1/3 dry). Mix until just combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
- Fold in Cranberries: Gently fold in the floured cranberries using a rubber spatula until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Part 2: Bake the Cake
- Pour into Pan: Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared 9×13 inch baking pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven.
- Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before dusting with powdered sugar and slicing. Cooling completely is essential for the cake to set properly and for the powdered sugar to sit nicely on top without melting.
Part 3: Finish and Serve
- Dust with Powdered Sugar: Once the cake is completely cool, use a sifter or a fine-mesh sieve to generously dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
- Slice and Garnish: Carefully cut the cake into squares or rectangles. Arrange the slices on a serving plate. For an extra festive touch, you can garnish with a few fresh cranberries, possibly lightly sugared for a frosted look.
- Serve: Serve the Classic Cranberry Christmas Cake as a delightful dessert, a festive brunch item, or a lovely treat with coffee or tea.
Tips for Success:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature. This helps them emulsify better, creating a smoother batter and a more uniform cake texture. This is a common tip for many cakes, including pound cakes.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the batter after adding flour develops gluten, which can result in a tough cake. Mix until just combined.
- Fresh vs. Frozen Cranberries: Both work well. If using frozen, do not thaw them; simply toss them directly with flour and fold into the batter. Thawing can make them release too much moisture.
- Prevent Sinking: Tossing cranberries with flour helps them suspend evenly in the batter rather than sinking to the bottom.
- Cool Completely: Patience is key! Make sure the cake is completely cool before dusting with powdered sugar. If the cake is warm, the sugar will melt and be absorbed.
- Variations:
- Orange Zest: Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the cake batter with the wet ingredients for a lovely citrus note that complements cranberries beautifully.
- Nutty Addition: Fold in ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts with the cranberries for added texture and flavor.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Instead of powdered sugar, you could top the cooled cake with a simple cream cheese frosting for a richer dessert, similar to some other dessert recipes.
- Glaze: A simple lemon glaze (powdered sugar + lemon juice) can also be used as an alternative to plain powdered sugar, similar to the glaze on the Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake Loaf.
Similar Dessert Inspirations:
- This cake shares its vibrant fruit-studded appeal with other fruit-based desserts like White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies or a Pineapple Coconut Cake.
- The soft cake base is similar to pound cakes or a simple sponge cake.
- The simplicity of the cake and fruit combination is reminiscent of dump cakes such as the Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake.