baking, Fetes, food, recipe, sweets

Sparkly Cranberry Cake

Posted by macaronsandmayhem on

I realize the holidays were nearly a month ago now, so consider this recipe a bit late or bit early for Valentine’s Day. You will want to make this for Valentine’s Day. It has red accents like that. Maybe just sub out some raspberries and let me know how it goes. This cake is THAT good. It was quickly a family favorite and my baker of a mum, proclaimed this her new favorite cake. She is life’s toughest critic, so this is saying quite a lot.

Just think, if you do make this for Valentine’s day you can garnish it with something that won’t take hours to assemble and then roll around your kitchen. Exhibit A:  sugared cranberries. So. many. cranberries.

Isn’t the end result, just lovely though?

I failed to photo a slice of the stuff with cranberries dotting throughout. Just imagine. Or better yet, trust me and make this. IT COMES FROM A BOX.

This recipe was adapted from Life, Love, & Sugar.

Almond Cranberry Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

Serves: only your nearest and dearest

For the Almond Cranberry cake:

  • 1  package white cake mix
  • 1 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/3 c. water
  • 1 c. sour cream
  • 2 T. vegetable oil
  • 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1.5 tsp. almond extract
  • 4 egg whites
For the White Chocolate Buttercream:
  • 12 oz white chocolate chips
  • 3/4 c.heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 c. butter, room temperature
  • 8-9 c. powdered sugar

For the Sparkly Cranberries:

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 1/2 c.sugar, divided
  • 1 c. water

Make Yo’ Cake!

  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour 2 9″ round cake pans. You may have a little extra that you will want to make as a ramekin for yourself. Do that too.
  2. Stir together the white cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until well mixed.
  3. Pour in the water, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg whites, and beat with an electric mix on low until all the ingredients are mixed and moistened but some lumps still remain, 4 minutes.
  4. Gently stir in the cranberries.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, and bake in the preheated oven until the top is a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.
Make Yo’ Damn Cranberries, so they Can Do What Cranberries Do. Sit. 
1. Bring 1 cup sugar and water to a simmer in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Pour simple syrup into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
3. Add cranberries and stir to coat.
4. Refrigerate cranberries in syrup overnight, stirred a couple of times to coat with syrup.
5. Remove cranberries from syrup and roll in remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. You’ll need to roll them a few times to get a couple of layers of sugar on them.
6. Set cranberries aside to dry for an hour or so.
Make Yo’ Icing!
1. Place white chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
2. Microwave heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
3. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
4. Allow ganache to sit until mostly cool. It should be thick.
5. Beat the ganache with a mixer for about 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
6. Add butter and beat until it is fully combined.
7. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until it is fluffy and the right consistency. Add more cream if needed.
Finally! Assemble your cake. And decorate with the cranberries that haven’t rolled onto the floor. Prepare to impress your family!

 

 

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