Cranberry Orange Cake

No ratings yet

My Cranberry Orange Cake has the best citrus flavor thanks to plenty of fresh orange zest and bursts of sweet-tart cranberries baked right into the tender, plush crumb. It's finished off with a swirls of white chocolate frosting and decorated with sugared cranberries & orange slices for a simple but beautiful presentation that is perfect for your holiday occasions!

Prep Time40

Cook Time25

Cooling Time1

Total Time2 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Amy Nash

Equipment

8-Inch Round Cake Pans

Ingredients

1/2 cup (113g) salted butter softened to room temperature
1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons orange zest from 3-4 oranges
1/3 cup (90ml) vegetable or canola oil
4 large eggs room temperature
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups (388g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
1/2 cup (120ml) orange juice from 1-2 oranges
2 cups (340g) fresh cranberries (12-ounces)
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

Frosting

8 ounces white chocolate chopped
2 cups (454g) salted butter softened to room temperature
6 cups (720g) powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons heavy cream
Candied cranberries & orange slices for decorating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles and spray with baking spray or brush with cake release.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until creamy and light, about 2-3 minutes. Add the and oil. Beat for another 2-3 minutes until combined and light. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
1/2 cup (113g) salted butter, 1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar, 1/3 cup (90ml) vegetable or canola oil, 2 Tablespoons orange zest
Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined, about 1 minute.
4 large eggs, 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed just until combined and only a few streaks of flour remain.
2 3/4 cups (388g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
Add the buttermilk and orange juice, mixing just until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, 1/2 cup (120ml) orange juice
Toss the cranberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour, then gently stir in to the cake batter. The batter will be thick. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
2 cups (340g) fresh cranberries, 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
Bake for 24-28 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of each layer comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool completely in the pans before assembling the cake.
To make the frosting, Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl and heat in the microwave on medium power in 15-20 second bursts, stirring between each burst of heat, until melted and smooth. Allow the chocolate to cool for 15-20 minutes until no longer warm to the touch so that it doesn’t melt the butter.
8 ounces white chocolate
Beat the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla using the whisk attachment of your hand or stand mixer until creamy and smooth. Add in the melted and cooled white chocolate, mixing until combined. Add as much of the cream as needed to get a spreadable consistency. You may not need all of the cream.
2 cups (454g) salted butter, 6 cups (720g) powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 4 Tablespoons heavy cream
Level the cake layers, if needed, then frost and then decorate with candied cranberries and orange slices or orange zest. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes to help set the frosting before slicing and serving. Store the cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Candied cranberries

Notes

Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cake layers and frosting one day and assemble the cake the next day to spread out the work. Wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight. Store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge. Let the frosting sit out at room temperature for 2-3 hours the next day before assembling the cake. Unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 2 months. You can freeze the entire cake or individual slices for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Cranberries: Do not thaw frozen cranberries, if using. The bake time tends to be a minute or two longer with frozen cranberries than fresh.
Buttermilk Substitute: If you don't have buttermilk, I recommend replacing it with 1/2 cup sour cream + 1/2 cup milk for this recipe.
Frosting Variation: If you want even more orange flavor, you can replace the vanilla with 1 teaspoon orange zest + 1 Tablespoon orange juice, if desired.
9-inch Round Pans: You can make this as a 2-layer cake using two 9-inch round cake pans. Bake the layers for 26-30 minutes.
9x13-inch Pan: You can bake this in a large rectangular baking dish for 30-35 minutes and either frost and serve directly from the pan or turn out and frost like a sheet cake.

Nutrition

QR code

Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.