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Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake Recipe

★★★★★

4.4 from 64 reviews
  • Author: Isabella
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf cake (10-12 servings) 1x

Description

This Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake is a moist, tender, and flavorful holiday treat featuring fresh cranberries and white chocolate chunks baked into a buttery pound cake. The cake is topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze and finished with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and dried cranberries for a festive look and delightful taste.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 187 grams cake flour, sifted (about 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons before sifting)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup cranberries (fresh or thawed)
  • 140 grams (5 oz.) white chocolate chunks
  • 115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 300 grams sugar (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons browned butter

Glaze

  • 56 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 112 grams (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or more for thickness)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish

  • Handful dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your convection air oven to 325°F. If you do not have a convection oven, set the temperature to 350°F and plan to rotate the pan halfway through baking for even cooking.
  2. Prepare the pan: Butter and flour an 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 inch or 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper for easy cake removal.
  3. Sift dry ingredients: Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt, then sift the mixture three times to aerate and set aside.
  4. Browning butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, brown 2.5 tablespoons of butter until it turns an amber color and foam forms on top. Skim off the foam and let the browned butter cool.
  5. Whisk eggs: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together with the vanilla extract and set aside for later use.
  6. Cream butter and sugar: Using a mixer, beat the 115 grams softened butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar while continuing to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  7. Add dairy: Add the heavy cream and mascarpone cheese to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
  8. Combine dry and wet ingredients: Turn the mixer to low speed and add the sifted dry ingredients in parts, alternating with the beaten eggs. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
  9. Prepare add-ins: Toss the white chocolate chunks and cranberries separately with a handful of flour to coat evenly, which prevents them from sinking during baking.
  10. Fold add-ins: Stir the floured white chocolate chunks into the batter gently, then fold in the floured cranberries carefully to distribute them without crushing.
  11. Pour and smooth batter: Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top evenly and gently tap the pan on the work surface to release any trapped air bubbles.
  12. Add browned butter: Using a butter knife, draw a line down the center of the batter in the loaf pan and pour the cooled browned butter into the groove for added flavor and moisture.
  13. Bake the cake: Bake the cake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 55 to 65 minutes in a convection oven. If not using convection, bake about 10 minutes longer. Tent with foil if the top starts browning too much.
  14. Cool cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
  15. Prepare the glaze: When the cake is completely cooled, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until creamy. Stir in vanilla extract. Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cake and refrigerate until the frosting is set.
  16. Melt the chocolate for garnish: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the white chocolate chips along with the vegetable oil until smooth. Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly if too thin.
  17. Garnish the cake: Sprinkle dried cranberries over the glazed cake. Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cake either with a spoon or by piping from a small ziplock bag with a cut corner for an attractive finish.

Notes

  • Measuring the flour by weight is critical to avoid a dense or dry cake.
  • If fresh cranberries are not available, thawed frozen cranberries work well.
  • Use a convection oven if possible for even baking; otherwise, rotate the pan halfway through baking.
  • You can adjust the powdered sugar in the glaze to achieve your preferred spreadable consistency.
  • Be careful not to overmix the batter once dry ingredients are added to keep the cake tender.
  • The browned butter added in the center of the batter adds a subtle nutty flavor and moisture.
  • The glaze can be stored in the refrigerator and the cake served chilled or at room temperature.
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 65 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas cake, cranberry pound cake, holiday dessert, white chocolate cake, festive cake, mascarpone pound cake

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Find it online: https://isabellavance.com/christmas-cranberry-pound-cake-recipe/