White Chocolate Cranberry Cake, with its notes of orange essence and almond – is also known as “Christmas on a Plate”. Bake a loaf for Christmas Brunch, or make a Bundt for a scrumptious show-stopping dessert!
Believe it or not, I never even tried a single cranberry until I was in my 30’s. Yep, it’s true. I’m of course referring to a real cranberry, not the canned kind I was forced asked to taste each Thanksgiving as a child. And you know what? The gelatinized cranberry whatever-it-is from the can bears absolutely no resemblance to a real cranberry. So if that’s the only cranberry you’ve tasted, you’re in for a shock with the real thing. Super tart, a little sweet, with a hint of bitter, with notes of cherry and berry flavor, cranberries are unbelievably flavorful. When cooked or dried, the bitter notes fall away and you’re left with mostly tart and sweet. The kind of food you bite into and taste some sweet, smile, taste some tart, pucker up, and think, “I’ll eat just one more.” Then another. Then another. Mmmm. So when I saw a few recipes popping up for White Chocolate Cranberry Cake, you know I was all in.
This easy recipe makes enough cake batter to bake as you want: a Bundt cake, or 2 loaves, or 6 mini-loaves. So you can make a Bundt cake and use it for a show-stopping dessert, or loaves to serve at Christmas Brunch, or some mini-loaves to give away to friends and family. I frosted the cake with my favorite White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, from the Macrina Bakery Cookbook and flavored it with almond and orange. The perfect complement to this moist and decadent cake.
Even the cranberry naysayers will love this White Chocolate Cranberry Cake, if my family is any indication. I baked a loaf plus 3 mini-loaves, and everyone who tried it gave it a big thumbs-up. I’m not sure if it’s the moistness of the cake, the delicious cranberries studding it, or the decadent White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. But really, does it matter? It all works beautifully together.
So, if you’re one of those people, (like me) who spent years never trying a real cranberry, now is your chance! White Chocolate Cranberry Cake will show you why Cranberries are a delicious holiday tradition! Enjoy!
If you’re looking for Christmas treats don’t forget my easy English Toffee with Pecans or these awesome Christmas Cookies !
PIN White Chocolate Cranberry Cake ->
White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
Inspired by a recipe found on Baker By Nature, I adapted a bundt cake recipe into 2 loaf cakes (or one loaf plus 3 “mini-loaves”). It not only looks spectacular, but it tastes divine! So feel free to make a Bundt, or 2 loaves, and call it a quick bread. Either way, it’s so festive and delicious, filled with flavors – white chocolate, cranberry, orange essence, almond and vanilla.
For the Frosting, I adapted my favorite Frosting recipe from Leslie Mackie’s Macrina Bakery and Cafe Cookbook. I added a bit of almond extract and a spoon of Orange Juice.
This cake keeps well for close to a week when wrapped airtight and refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 30 mins.
- Cook Time: 55 min
- Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
- Yield: 20 Servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 1/4 c AP Flour
- 1 1/2 t Baking Powder
- 1/2 t Kosher Salt
- 1 c (2 sticks) Butter, room temperature
- 8 oz. (1 brick, or 1 c) Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 1 3/4 c Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 c Lt. Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 T finely Grated Orange Zest (from 1 med-lg Orange)
- 2 t Natural Vanilla Extract
- 1 t Natural Almond Extract
- 5 lg Eggs, room temperature
- 2 c Fresh Cranberries
- 3 T AP Flour
For the Frosting:
- 3 oz. Good-Quality White Chocolate
- 4 oz. (1/2 c) Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 t Almond Extract
- 2 oz (1/2 stick) Butter, room temperature
- 1 T Orange Juice
Instructions
Make the Cake or Loaves:
- Generously Grease/Butter and Flour either 2 Loaf Pans, 6 mini-loaf pans, or 1 Bundt Pan, making sure to cover all surfaces the batter will touch. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325F (163C)
- In a Medium Mixing Bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside until Step 5.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or hand mixer and a large bowl, beat the butter and Cream Cheese for about a minute until smooth. Gradually add in the sugars and then increase the speed to Medium-high and continue 3 minutes or until the batter looks light and fluffy. Lower speed and add the zest, vanilla and almond extract. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition and scrape down bowl as needed.
- Reduce the speed to low. Add in the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Using a medium bowl, combine the cranberries and 3 T flour and toss well to coat. Fold the flour-coated berries into the batter using a rubber spatula, until just combined.
- Scrape into prepared pans. Bake 70-75 mins for Bundt Cake, 50-55 mins for Loaves, and 38-42 mins for mini-loaves. A toothpick or skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. Cool on wire rack and invert after 15-20 minutes. Let cake cool completely prior to frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- Melt the white chocolate either in the microwave, in 30-second increments, stirring after each increment, being careful not to burn it, or in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until just melted. (I like this method because the chocolate does not get very warm and cooling to room temperature takes just a few minutes.) Cool until it is close to room temperature.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, whip the room temperature butter until smooth, light, and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- To the whipped butter, add the cream cheese and melted chocolate, beating at Medium Speed for 5 minutes.
- Turn off mixer and add the almond extract and orange juice, and continue to mix for 2 minutes.
- Spread over cakes as desired. If you need to refrigerate the frosting prior to use, you may need to “refresh” it once it comes to room temperature. Do this by mixing at medium speed for a couple minutes. Best to use the frosting prior to refrigeration. Then refrigerate frosted cake. Garnish as desired with orange zest, sugared cranberries and/or almond slivers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/20 Recipe
Keywords: Bundt, quick bread, white chocolate, cranberries, Christmas, holiday,
oooh this looks like such a tender crumb! i’m a sucker for anything with fresh cranberries (:
Thanks, Heather! I agree, fresh cranberries elevate everything, don’t they?
Such a pretty cake and so festive! The white chocolate frosting looks divine!
Thanks so much! And you’re so right – this is the best frosting recipe ever! Thanks for visiting and for your kind words!
I’m so sad it took you so long to be introduced to real cranberries! But I’m glad you finally found them :). this cake sounds amazing! I adore cranberries and white chocolate together!
I feel exactly the same, Kelsie, on both points! Now that I’m familiar with fresh cranberries, its fun to learn wonderful flavors to pair with them, and so far, white chocolate+orange is the winner! Thanks for your visit!
This definitely looks Christmas-ey! I love fresh cranberries, but there will always be a place in my heart for canned – everything has it’s place 😉 Love this combo, Laura. This would be so yummy right now with a cuppa tea or coffee!
Hi, Dawn! I agree, everything has its place, especially many of the foods we all grew up with.?. Glad you like the cake – you’re so right a cup of coffee or tea would be the perfect pairing for this cake, or bread, or cake bread. Thanks for your visit!
Same here on the fresh cranberries! I grew up with the canned cranberries and I was never a fan. I didn’t try a real, fresh one until in my late 20’s! There’s no looking back once you’ve tried a real one. I love how festive and pretty the fresh cranberries make this cake. Cranberry and white chocolate goes SO well together, I’m sure this cake is just delicious!
It’s true, Katherine! I used to just give the canned stuff a “ho hum”. But once I tried the real thing, I’m actually looking for better ways to use them! I agree, too, white chocoalte was Made to go with cranberries (and orange!)
I’d love a slice of that yummy cake for the holidays! So festive and pretty too with those lovely cranberries! YUM!
Thanks, Kim! And thanks for visiting!
Such a festive looking (and tasting I’m sure) cake. I’ll try this with our lingonberries as we don’t see cranberries in our market. That frosting sounds so good, I look forward to that taste. Great post-Laura.
Thanks, Ron! Lingonberries sound like a great substitute! The frosting here is my favorite frosting of all time! I put in on every cake that asks for cream cheese or white chocolate frosting. The original recipe is this one (sans the orange and almond) x 4! (Enough for a triple layer cake!) A keeper for sure! Thanks for your visit!
Laura, this is such a beautiful cake. White chocolate and cranberries make the perfect festive combination. And that frosting looks absolutely AMAZING!!!! Definitely pinning. Thank you for this delicious and beautiful recipe 🙂
Thanks, Ashika, for your kind words! (I just peeked at your cranberry orange cake, too – hello! Yummm!) thanks for visiting and pinning!
You make an excellent point about cranberries! They’re nothing like the canned stuff. (But then again, most canned stuff isn’t like the real thing…) Either way, this cake sounds amazing! It’s perfect for the holidays, and I love how you garnished it with sugared cranberries. Nice touch!
Thanks, David. And you’re right, there aren’t many canned items that resemble the fresh. Although I imagine the canned cranberry gel is further afield from fresh than most. ?. thanks for your visit!
On the Christmas wave, completely 🙂 Pinned and share, of course !
Thanks so much – it is the best time of year, isn’t it? Thanks so much!
It’s calling my name. ????
Love it when that happens!?
Since I grew up in the northern part, I was very familiar with cranberries, and they are one of my favourite berries. But I miss wild cranberries in Canada; cranberries cultivated on a farm are less juicy and delicious, in my book. Also, this cake looks and sounds beautiful! I do love the addition of orange, almond, and of course, cream cheese!
Ooooh, Ben! I didn’t know there was an even better version of cranberries. I may have to see if I can hunt some down sometime. I’d love to try a juicier one, for sure! And of course more delicious! Thanks for your visit!