Cranberry Christmas Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
This festive cake combines tart cranberries and zesty orange, topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 250 g unsalted butter, softened
- 250 g caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Zest of 1 clementine or mandarin orange
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 2.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 100 g fresh cranberries, chopped if large
For the Frosting
- 400 g full-fat cream cheese
- 300 ml double cream
- 65 g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare two 8-inch baking pans by greasing them with butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter and caster sugar. Use an electric mixer to cream them together at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract and the zest of the clementine or mandarin orange.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter and egg mixture, stirring gently. Fold in the fresh cranberries.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting Delight
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, double cream, icing sugar, fresh orange juice, and optional orange liqueur. Whip until stiff peaks form (about 3-5 minutes).
Assemble Your Cake
- Place one layer of the cooled cake on a serving platter and spread a generous amount of the frosting on top.
- Carefully position the second layer on top and cover the top and sides with more frosting.
- Decorate with fresh cranberries and festive sprinkles.
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Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to three months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting.