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Cranberry Orange Cake
Cranberry orange cake is a delicious cake recipe for Christmas. The cake is made with tender orange cake layers studded with fresh cranberries and frosted in orange cream cheese frosting. A slice of this cake will make for the perfect November or December dessert!
👥 14 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 2h 35m⏳ Prep: 1h🔥 Cook: 35 min👤 Courtney📖 cakemehometonight
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- pan
- oven
- bowl
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- spatula
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Cranberry Orange Cake
2
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles.
3
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
½ cups all-purpose flour2all-purpose flour (for coating the cranberries)2 tspsalt1 tsp½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)unsalted butter (room temperature)2 cups½ tsp salt
4
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar until light and creamy. Add the orange zest, vanilla extract, and eggs and mix until smooth.
salt1 tsp½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)unsalted butter (room temperature)2 cupsorange zest2 tspvanilla extract1 tsplarge eggs (room temperature)3
5
Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and orange juice, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing in between each addition. (Add ⅓ flour mixture, ½ buttermilk/orange juice, ⅓ flour mixture, ½ buttermilk/orange juice, ⅓ flour mixture). Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until it is smooth.
½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)orange juice (freshly squeezed)2 tbsp
6
Toss the fresh cranberries in 2 teaspoons of all-purpose flour and fold the cranberries into the cake batter.
½ cups all-purpose flour2all-purpose flour (for coating the cranberries)2 tsp
7
Divide the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cake layers for approximately 30 to ⏱️ 35 minutes, until the tops of the cakes bounce back when gently touched. Remove the cake pans from the oven and cool the cake layers for ⏱️ 15 minutes. Remove the cake layers from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
cream cheese (room temperature)8 oz
9
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter and cream cheese for 2 to ⏱️ 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
cream cheese (room temperature)8 oz
10
Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix until combined. While mixing on low speed, add in the orange juice, orange zest, and salt.
powdered sugar7 cups½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)orange juice (freshly squeezed)2 tbsporange zest2 tspsalt1 tsp½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)unsalted butter (room temperature)2 cups½ tsp salt
11
Turn the mixer to medium speed and whip for 2 to ⏱️ 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Whip until the orange cream cheese frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth.
cream cheese (room temperature)8 oz
12
Assembling the Cranberry Orange Cake
13
Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add desired amount of orange cream cheese frosting to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add the second cake layer, more frosting, and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake. Be sure the bottom of the cake layer is facing up.
cream cheese (room temperature)8 oz
14
With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting, to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for ⏱️ 20 minutes to firm the frosting.
15
Add a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting to the chilled cake with an offset spatula and use a cake scraper to smooth out the frosting. Use a large offset spatula to create swirls in the frosting around the sides and top of the cake. Decorate the top edge of the cake with sugared cranberries.
cream cheese (room temperature)8 ozsugared cranberries (click here for the recipe)1 cup
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