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.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Instructions
- 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.
- Carefully sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt together three times to ensure a silky-smooth texture, then set aside.
- 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.
- Whisk eggs and vanilla extract in a separate vessel until thoroughly combined.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, monitoring for even golden coloration. Shield with foil if browning occurs too rapidly. Verify doneness with a toothpick test.
- Allow cake to rest in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Craft a luxurious frosting by whipping butter and cream cheese until silky, gradually adding powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Once cake has cooled completely, generously spread frosting across the surface and refrigerate until set.
- 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