Cranberry Christmas Cake Recipe (2024)

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Are you in search of the perfect Cranberry Christmas Cake recipe for your festive celebrations? Delight in our special cake, bursting with juicy cranberries and infused with holiday spices, promising to be the star of your Christmas table.

Looking for the Ultimate Cranberry Christmas Cake Recipe?

Wondering if this is the place to find the best Cranberry Christmas Cake recipe? Absolutely, you're in the right spot! We're sharing the most delightful and festive Cranberry Christmas Cake recipe, perfect for the holiday season.

Our expertly crafted recipe combines the tanginess of cranberries with the warmth of holiday spices, and everyone's favorite cream cheese frosting, creating a perfect festive cake that's not just delicious but also a beautiful centerpiece for your Christmas celebration.

The tartness of the cranberries combined with the tender cake and icing is an unexpected flavor combination that's get's rave reviews after the very first bite. Experience the joy of baking with our tried-and-tested recipe, designed to bring holiday cheer to your table.

Why this recipe will be one of your holiday favorites

Although it looks complicated, they individual component’s of this recipe are easy to make
This is an Instagram worthy cake with the pops of bright red and creamy white - perfect for holiday parties all winter long.
Cream cheese icing - need we say more?

Ingredients

There are three components that when put together make up this cake; the tart cranberry sauc, the simple white cake with tender crumb, and the cream cheese frosting.

For the Cranberry filling

fresh cranberries-picked over for any bad ones. Alterantively, if you cant find fresh berries, you can substitute for frozen cranberries
Whitesugar
Fresh orange zest and orange juice
Ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
Ground cloves

For the Cake

Egg whites
buttermilk
vanilla bean-if you don't have a vanilla bean, look for vanilla paste or use vanilla extract
cake flour - this is one of those basic ingredient switches that can really help you make lightly fluffy cakes
granulated sugar
baking powder
salt

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Unsalted butter
cream cheese-we're not one for spending more than we have to, and often are ok with store brand. But when it comes to cream cheese, the fat content really makes a huge difference in the overall taste. We highly recommend Philadephia brand.
Lemon zest and lemon juice
Confectioners’ sugar - aka powdered sugar
Sugared Cranberries,for garnish

How to Make this Cranberry Christmas Cake Recipe

Start by making the cranberry filling

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, juice, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
Bring to a boil over, then reduce and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cranberries pop.
Remove from heat and mash cranberries with a wooden spoon. Allow to cool completely.

Bake the cakes

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the beaten egg whites and buttermilk.
Using a sharp knife, carefully scrape seeds from the inside of the vanilla beans and stir them into the buttermilk mixture.
Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prep two 9" cake pans by greasing and flouring.
Whisk the dry ingredients together (the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a large bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 30 seconds on medium high.
Scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed, gradually add the flour mix. Add half of the buttermilk and mix to combine.
Add the remaining buttermilk and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.
Divide the cake batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and edges are light golden.
Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing cakes from pans to cool completely.

Make the frosting

Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese and butter in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the lemon zest and juice and mix again.
Scrape down the sides and add in the confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time until combined.
Add a tablespoon of milk if the mixture is too thick.

Assemble the Christmas Cranberry Cake

When the cakes have cooled, cut the cakes in half evenly to make 4 total cake layers.
Place one cake layer bottom side down in the center of your serving platter and spoon ⅓ cup cranberry sauce evenly over the top.
Place a cake layer on top of that and spread ½ cup lemon frosting evenly over it.
Top with a thin layer of cranberry sauce, about ⅓ cup.
Top with the next cake layer and spoon ⅓ cup cranberry over top.
Finally top with the last cake layer, cut side down.
Crumb coat your cake and place in fridge for 10 minutes to set.
Finish off your beautiful cake with a healthy layer of frosting and a few sugared cranberries on top of the cake before serving, if desired.

Pro Tip: Want to add a little pop to both the cake and your co*cktails? Consider making Spiced Cranberry Syrup to use both in the layers and at your bar. Simple brush the cake layers with a bit of the syrup as you assemble the layers.

Leftovers & Storage

Store this cake in the fridge. When ready to serve, let it sit out for 20 minutes to soften the cream cheese icing.

To keep slices fresher longer, place a sheet of parchment paper against the exposed cut edges.

More Delicious Christmas Recipes

Boozy Hot Chocolate
White Wine Sangria
Mint Swirl Dark Chocolate Bark Recipe
Dairy Free Eggnog

If you’ve tried my Cranberry Christmas Cake recipe, or any other recipe on passthesushi.com please don’t forget torate the recipeand let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can alsofollow along for more good eats and travel tipsonInstagram@passthesushi&@girlcarnivore,Twitter&Facebook.

📖 Recipe

Cranberry Christmas Cake

This Cranberry Christmas Cake recipe combines tart cranberries with sweet, moist cake, perfectly seasoned with festive spices. It's an ideal holiday dessert that's as visually stunning as it is delicious, perfect for any Christmas celebration.

2.50 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Dessert

American

Author: Kita Roberts

1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Cranberry filling

▢ 12 oz fresh cranberries - picked over
▢ ½ cup sugar
▢ 2 teaspoon finely shredded orange zest
▢ 2 tablespoon orange juice
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Cake

▢ 6 egg whites - lightly beaten
▢ 1 cup buttermilk
▢ 1 vanilla bean - split lengthwise
▢ 2 ¼ cups cake flour
▢ 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
▢ 4 teaspoon baking powder
▢ 1 teaspoon salt

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

▢ ¾ cup butter - softened
▢ 16 oz cream cheese - softened
▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest
▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
▢ 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
▢ Sugared Cranberries - for garnish

Instructions

Make the cranberry filling:

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, juice, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
See Also
Linzer Cookie Recipe
Bring to a boil over, then reduce and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cranberries pop.
Remove from heat and mash cranberries with a wooden spoon. Allow to cool completely.

Make the cake:

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the beaten egg whites and buttermilk.
Using a sharp knife, carefully scrape seeds from the inside of the vanilla beans and stir them into the buttermilk mixture.
Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Prep two 9" cake pans by greasing and flouring.
Knock out any excess flour. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 30 seconds on medium high.
Scraping down the sides as needed, gradually add the flour mix. Add half of the buttermilk and mix to combine.
Add the remaining buttermilk and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.
Divide batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and edges are light golden.
Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing cakes from pans to cool completely.

Make the frosting:

Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese and butter in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the lemon zest and juice and mix again.
Scrape down the sides and add in the confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time until combined.
Add a tablespoon of milk if the mixture is too thick.

Assemble

Cut the cakes in half evenly to make 4 total cake layers.
Place one cake layer bottom side down in the center of your serving platter and spoon ⅓ cup cranberry sauce evenly over the top.
Place a cake layer on top of that and spread ½ cup lemon frosting evenly over it.
Top with a thin layer of cranberry sauce, about ⅓ cup.
Top with the next cake layer and spoon ⅓ cup cranberry over top.
Finally top with the last cake layer, cut side down.
Crumb coat your cake and place in fridge for 10 minutes to set.
Finish off with a healthy layer of frosting and top with sugared cranberries before serving, if desired.

Notes

From: BHG Special Interest Magazine Holiday Recipes

Nutrition

Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.

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Love cranberries?

Give these other tart recipes a try when you're done with your Cranberry Christmas Cake.

Cranberry Margarita
Baked Brie with Rum Soaked Cranberries
Tart Cranberry Cherry Pie
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Kita

Kita is a world traveled photographer and writer with over a decade of experience. An award-winning co*cktail developer and not-so-secret BBQ aficionado.

FAQs

Do you have to cook cranberries before baking? ›

Nope! While cooking cranberries generally brings out their sweetness (especially if you cook them down with plenty of sugar), they'll be perfectly sweet on their own – and hold up better during baking – if you put them in the batter whole.

Tell Me More ›

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried in baking? ›

You'll probably want to use about 1 cup of fresh cranberries for every 1/2 cup of dried cranberries called for in the recipe. You can also look for recipes calling for fresh blueberries and use cranberries instead. Since they're similar in size, fresh blueberries and cranberries can be substituted one-for-one.

Find Out More ›

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of frozen? ›

Yes! Fresh cranberries freeze for up to a year and can often be substituted in recipes that call for fresh cranberries. When cooking with frozen cranberries, do not thaw before using.

Discover More Details ›

How many cups is 12 oz of cranberries? ›

There are three cups of cranberries in a 12 oz.

Learn More ›

Should I soak dried cranberries before baking? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

Get More Info ›

Is it better to bake with fresh or frozen cranberries? ›

If cooking your berries into a pie filling, you may need to add additional thickening agents because frozen berries tend to release more liquid than fresh and will lead to a runnier consistency. For best results in your baking, don't defrost the berries before use but instead toss them in flour.

Get More Info ›

How to prepare fresh cranberries for baking? ›

How do I prepare cranberries for cooking?

First sort out any soft berries and stems. Rinse berries in cold water, drain well and use as the recipe directs. ...
Your recipe should specify whether to use chopped cranberries or not. If it doesn't, be sure to measure your cranberries before chopping them.

Read The Full Story ›

How do you dry cranberries quickly? ›

Freezing the berries helps in breaking down the cell structure promoting faster drying. Put the berries on a mesh sheet in the dehydrator and dry for 10 to 16 hours, depending on the make of the dehydrator, until chewy and with no pockets of moisture.

What happens if you cook cranberries too long? ›

If your cranberry sauce is too thick, it's most likely overcooked. When you cook cranberries (or any berries), they burst, releasing pectin—a natural thickener. The key to a perfect consistency is to allow some but not all of the cranberries to split open—something you'll achieve with less time on the stove.

Find Out More ›

Can you use Craisins instead of fresh cranberries? ›

Using Dried Cranberries in Place of Fresh

You can use dried cranberries in recipes that call for fresh cranberries, but there is a difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for 1 cup fresh cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries instead.

Can I use year old frozen cranberries? ›

If stored correctly, fresh cranberries will last in the refrigerator for three to four weeks. If you opted to freeze them, they'll keep well for up to a year.

Learn More Now ›

Why are there no fresh cranberries in the stores? ›

You may even want to freeze a few bags, so you can enjoy fresh cranberry recipes throughout the year. * The availability of fresh cranberries is limited because the harvest season is very short. Harvesting begins in September and continues through November, and fresh cranberries may be purchased during that time.

Learn More Now ›

Can you drink Ocean Spray juice after expiration date? ›

The juice will likely stay safe to drink, but the quality will degrade gradually. That means that cranberry juice that's 10 months past the date on the label will likely taste okay at best and terrible at worst. Once you open the bottle, you should drink the juice or freeze it within 7 to 10 days.

Know More ›

How much is 3 cups of cranberries? ›

Cooking with Cranberries. The commonly sold 12-ounce bag contains about 3 cups of cranberries. If the recipe you are using specifies the use of chopped cranberries, measure after chopping. Otherwise, measure cranberries before chopping them.

Show Me More ›

Does pure cranberry juice go bad? ›

It is no surprise that a cranberry juice container has a lot of moisture which creates an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria. As such, it is relatively quick to expire. You can expect your cranberry juice to last anywhere from eight to twelve days.

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How do you prep cranberries for baking? ›

Prepare. Wash cranberries in cool water before using. When using frozen berries for recipes other than salads and relishes, thaw and drain before using. If the cranberries will be cooked, you can use them frozen.

Get More Info ›

How do you soften cranberries for baking? ›

Put your dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 to 15 minutes, and then strain the fruit and discard the water. The fruit will be plumper, juicier, and softer. To give your fruit some extra flavor, swap the water for fruit juice or a liquor, like rum, bourbon, or brandy.

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Are you supposed to cook canned cranberries? ›

It's perfectly fine to serve up cranberry sauce — whole berry or jelled — straight out of the can. But in my experience, heating the canned sauce up takes its flavor to the next level. Plus, it becomes a little more aesthetically pleasing.

Know More ›

What happens when you bake dried cranberries? ›

Cranberries are a great way to add flavor and zing to your baking—a burst of flavor in every bite. They become colorful, ruby red gems in breads, muffins, cookies, and pancakes. They taste good and they're good for you.

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