Festive Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake Recipe: Sweet Holiday Joy

Baking a delightful christmas cranberry pound cake can transport you to a winter wonderland of sweet memories.

Festive aromas will dance through your kitchen, filling every corner with warmth and cheer.

Tart cranberries burst with vibrant color against a golden, buttery backdrop.

Soft crumbs melt in your mouth, promising a delectable experience that celebrates seasonal joy.

Family gatherings become magical moments when this stunning dessert takes center stage.

Rich flavors blend tradition with modern baking techniques, creating a memorable treat.

Slice into this incredible cake and let seasonal happiness embrace you completely.

What’s So Good About Cranberry Pound Cake

• Effortless Elegance: Craft a stunning holiday dessert with minimal culinary expertise, perfect for bakers of all skill levels.
• Festive Flavor Explosion: Indulge in a delightful combination of cranberries, white chocolate, and rich buttery goodness that captures the essence of Christmas cheer.
• Crowd-Pleasing Centerpiece: Impress family and friends with a show-stopping cake that looks professionally made but is surprisingly simple to prepare.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare this cake in advance, allowing you to spend more time enjoying holiday festivities without last-minute baking stress.

Cranberry Pound Cake Ingredient List

• Cake Flour: Provides delicate cake texture.
• Baking Powder: Helps cake rise.
• Salt: Enhances flavor.
• Butter: Rich and creamy base.
• Heavy Cream: Adds moisture and richness.
• Mascarpone: Creates smooth, luxurious texture.
• Cream Cheese: Provides tangy base for frosting.
• Eggs: Binds ingredients together.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, sweet flavor.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens and helps caramelization.
• Cranberries: Adds tart burst of flavor.
• White Chocolate Chunks: Provides sweet, creamy element.
• Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth frosting.

• White Chocolate Chips: For decorative drizzle.
• Vegetable Oil: Helps chocolate melt smoothly.
• Dried Cranberries: Decorative topping with extra flavor.

Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake Directions

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Baking Dish

Preheat the convection oven to 325°F. Generously coat a loaf pan with butter and dust with flour. Line the pan with parchment paper to ensure easy cake removal. The parchment paper will be your secret weapon for a perfect slice.

Step 2: Create the Dry Ingredient Blend

Grab your sifter and combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift the mixture three times to ensure a light, airy texture. This step eliminates any lumps and creates a smooth cake base.

Step 3: Brown the Butter

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Watch closely as it transforms into a golden elixir with a nutty fragrance. Remove any foam and let it cool completely. This technique adds a rich, complex flavor to the cake.

Step 4: Prepare Egg Mixture

Whisk eggs and vanilla extract in a small bowl until well combined. The mixture should look smooth and glossy, creating a perfect base for your cake batter.

Step 5: Whip Up the Butter Base

Use a mixer to beat softened butter until it becomes creamy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to mix until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Pour in heavy cream and mascarpone, blending until silky smooth.

Step 6: Combine the Batter

Switch the mixer to low speed. Carefully alternate adding the sifted dry ingredients and egg mixture, mixing until just combined. Toss cranberries and white chocolate chunks in a light dusting of flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold them into the batter.

Step 7: Bake to Perfection

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top and tapping the pan to remove air bubbles. Create a subtle line down the center of the batter and drizzle the browned butter along this line. Bake for 55-65 minutes, checking with a toothpick for doneness. If the top browns too quickly, cover with foil. Once baked, cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Step 8: Craft the Creamy Frosting

Beat softened butter and cream cheese until completely smooth. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until the frosting reaches a dreamy, creamy consistency.

Step 9: Decorate and Finish

Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Melt white chocolate chips with a touch of vegetable oil until perfectly smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cake and sprinkle with dried cranberries for a festive touch. Chill until the frosting sets, creating a stunning holiday dessert.

Pound Cake Tips for Cranberry Holiday Goodness

• Prevent Cranberry Sinking: Toss cranberries and white chocolate in a light dusting of flour before folding into batter to keep them evenly distributed throughout the cake.
• Master Browning Butter: Watch closely while browning butter to achieve a golden color and nutty aroma without burning, which adds deep, rich flavor to the cake.
• Perfect Pan Preparation: Use parchment paper with overhanging edges for easy cake removal and minimal crumb loss when transferring from pan to cooling rack.
• Control Cake Browning: Tent the cake with aluminum foil if the top browns too quickly, ensuring even baking and preventing a burnt exterior while maintaining a moist interior.
• Smooth Frosting Technique: Beat butter and cream cheese thoroughly until completely smooth to create a creamy, lump-free frosting that spreads easily over the cooled cake.

How to Store and Enjoy Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake Again

• Store the cake in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep frosted side covered to prevent drying out.
• Wrap the completely cooled cake (without frosting) in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
• Cut individual slices, wrap each separately in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
• Warm individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or in a preheated oven at 300°F for 5-7 minutes until slightly warm and soft.

Great Pairings for Cranberry Pound Cake

Pairing Festive Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake

• Sparkling Wine Match: Complement the cake's rich, buttery texture with a crisp prosecco or champagne that cuts through the sweetness and enhances the cranberry tartness.
• Warm Beverage Harmony: Serve alongside a creamy cappuccanna or smooth vanilla latte to balance the cake's dense texture and highlight its complex flavor profile.
• Seasonal Cheese Partner: Create a delightful dessert board with aged gouda or mild brie, which will echo the cake's creamy undertones and provide a savory contrast to the sweet white chocolate drizzle.
• Holiday Spice Accompaniment: Add a small glass of spiced rum or mulled wine to amplify the cake's warm, festive notes and create a cozy winter dessert experience.

Pound Cake Flavor Twists

• Gluten-Free Version: Replace cake flour with a gluten-free blend made from rice flour, potato starch, and xanthan gum, ensuring the same texture and rise as traditional pound cake.
• Dairy-Free Alternative: Swap butter and mascarpone with coconut oil and dairy-free cream cheese, using almond milk instead of heavy cream for a lighter, plant-based option.
• Low-Sugar Option: Substitute granulated sugar with monk fruit sweetener or stevia, reducing caloric content while maintaining the cake's rich flavor profile.
• Nutty Cranberry Boost: Add chopped pecans or almonds to the batter for extra crunch and nutritional value, complementing the cranberries' tartness and creating a more complex texture.

FAQs

• Why brown the butter in this recipe?

Browning butter creates a rich, nutty flavor that adds depth and complexity to the cake’s taste profile, enhancing the overall richness of the dessert.

• Can I substitute mascarpone in the recipe?

If you can’t find mascarpone, cream cheese works as an excellent alternative, providing similar moisture and tanginess to the cake batter.

• How do I prevent cranberries from sinking?

Tossing the cranberries and white chocolate chunks in a light dusting of flour before folding into the batter helps prevent them from sinking during baking, ensuring an even distribution throughout the cake.

• What's the purpose of creating a line down the center before adding browned butter?

The center line allows the browned butter to create a beautiful marbled effect and distribute its rich flavor more evenly throughout the cake, adding visual and taste complexity.

Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake Recipe

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4.7 from 19 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Festive holiday cheer comes alive in this Christmas cranberry pound cake, blending rich buttery notes with tart seasonal berries. Warm spices and a delicate glaze invite you to savor winter’s most delightful dessert.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 300 grams (1 1/2 cups) sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup cranberries (fresh or thawed frozen)
• 140 grams (5 ounces) white chocolate chunks
• 187 grams (1 1/2 cups + 3 tablespoons) cake flour

Dairy Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons browned butter

Dry and Seasoning Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Meticulously prepare an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan by greasing and dusting with flour, then line with parchment paper. Calibrate the oven to 325°F for convection or 350°F for standard baking.
2. Carefully sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt together three times to ensure a silky-smooth texture, then set aside.
3. Transform butter into a golden-brown elixir by heating in a saucepan until it develops a rich, nutty fragrance. Remove foam and allow to cool completely.
4. Whisk eggs and vanilla extract in a separate vessel until thoroughly combined.
5. Utilize a mixer to cream butter until luxuriously smooth, gradually incorporating sugar until the mixture becomes light and billowy. Introduce heavy cream and mascarpone, blending until velvety.
6. Gently fold dry ingredients and egg mixture into the butter base, alternating to maintain a delicate consistency. Dust cranberries and white chocolate chunks with flour to prevent sinking, then tenderly incorporate into the batter.
7. Transfer batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the surface and eliminating air pockets by tapping. Create a central channel using a knife and drizzle browned butter along the line.
8. Bake for 55-65 minutes, monitoring for even golden coloration. Shield with foil if browning occurs too rapidly. Verify doneness with a toothpick test.
9. Allow cake to rest in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
10. Craft a luxurious frosting by whipping butter and cream cheese until silky, gradually adding powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
11. Once cake has cooled completely, generously spread frosting across the surface and refrigerate until set.
12. Finalize the dessert by melting white chocolate with a touch of vegetable oil, drizzling artfully over the cake, and garnishing with dried cranberries for a festive flourish.

Notes

• Adjust oven temperature carefully to prevent over-browning, using convection setting for more even heat distribution.
• Sifting dry ingredients multiple times ensures a lighter, more delicate cake texture with no lumps.
• Toss cranberries and white chocolate in flour to prevent sinking and create more even distribution throughout the cake.
• Brown butter adds a rich, nutty depth of flavor that elevates the entire dessert’s taste profile.
• Line the pan with parchment paper for effortless cake removal and minimal mess during serving.
• Use room temperature ingredients to create a smoother, more consistent batter and better cake rise.
• Fold mix-ins gently to maintain the cake’s delicate structure and prevent deflating the batter.
• Tent with foil if cake browns too quickly to ensure even baking and prevent burning.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 65 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 320
• Sugar: 25 g
• Sodium: 150 mg
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 11 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 39 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 80 mg