This Cranberry Christmas Cake consists of citrus flavoured sponge studded with fresh cranberries and iced with fluffy cream cheese frosting with a light flavour of orange.
100g/1cupfresh cranberries plus a handful for decorating
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
400g/2cupscream cheese, full fat
300 ml/1¼ cupdouble cream/whipping cream 36% fat
65g/1/2 cupicing sugar/powdered sugar
1tbspfresh orange juice
1tbsporange flavoured liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
Instructions
For the cranberry cake
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Butter two 8 inch baking pans and set aside or spray them with a cake release spray.
In a large mixing bowl cream softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy with an electric hand mixer. Start adding eggs one by one, beating them until well combined after each addition for about a minute. Add vanilla and orange zest.
Combine sifted flour, baking soda and baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix well, stopping the mixer and scraping sides and the bottom of the bowl, then fold in fresh cranberries. Divide the batter between two pans. Weigh them to get exactly the same size cakes.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely.
For the orange cream cheese frosting
In a mixing bowl combine the full fat cream cheese, double/whipping cream, icing sugar, orange juice and Cointreau and whip with an electric mixer until stiff. This will take between 3-4 minutes. For the US readers: Whip room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar, orange juice and Cointreau until light and fluffy. Whip the whipping cream separately. Fold the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.
To assemble the cake
Set one sponge on a cake stand and spread ¼ of the cream cheese frosting on it, then top with the second layer. Cover the top and sides with cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula. Reserving ½ cup of the frosting to pipe rosettes on top if desired. Or finish the cake with pretty swirls using the back of a spoon. Top with sprinkles and fresh cranberries.
Notes
You can bake the sponges one day in advance. Cool them, then wrap in cling film until ready to assemble the cake. Store the assembled cake in a refrigerator and take out 20 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.