Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 65 mins | Yield: 12
Christmas is almost near, and I got the perfect dessert! It is this beautiful, perfectly sweet, delicious Christmas Cranberry Poundcake. A must and the excellent centrepiece on your dinner table this Holiday.
Ingredients
Cake:
3 Eggs
2 tbsp browned butter
187 g. cake flour-sifted (it’s about 1 1/2 c. + 3 tbsp cake flour before sifting. Make sure to measure it on a kitchen scale or the cake will dense or dry if you overdo the flour )
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c. cranberries (fresh or thawed)
1/2 c. heavy cream
140 g. (5 ounces) white chocolate chunk
300 g. sugar ( 1 and 1/2 c.)
1/2 c. mascarpone cheese
115 g. (1/2 c.) unsalted butter-softened at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Frosting:
112 g. (4 ounces) cream cheese-softened
56 g. (1/4 c.) unsalted butter-softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar (or more to make it thick enough to spread on top of the cake)
Garnish:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
handful dried cranberries
How to make Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
Step 1: Prepare your convection air oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F. Or your oven to 350 degrees F (make sure to rotate the pan halfway through baking).
Step 2: Grease and flour an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 (9 x 5-3_ inches loaf pan. Then, line it with parchment paper.
Step 3: Mix the cake flour with baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture three times and set aside.
Step 4: Cook 2 1/2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until nice amber colour. Remove the foam and set the butter aside to cool.
Step 5: Combine the egg with vanilla extract until well blended. Set aside.
Step 6: On medium speed, mix the butter until creamy. Gradually add in the sugar, beating until creamy. Now, add the heavy cream followed by the mascarpone. Beat again on medium speed.
Step 7: Adjust the speed of the mixer to low speed, then slowly add in the dry ingredients alternately with the eggs.
Step 8: To the chocolate chunks, add a handful of flour and toss until the chunks are evenly coated. Do the same with the cranberries.
Step 9: In the batter, add the chocolate chunks. Toss, then gently fold in the cranberries.
Step 10: Into the prepared loaf pan, pour the batter. Smooth the top, then tap the pan gently on your working surface the remove any air bubbles.
Step 11: Draw a line down the middle of the pound cake using a butter knife. Into the line, pour the browned butter.
Step 12: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the cake for about 55 to 65 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. If using a regular oven, the baking might be 10 minutes longer. Cover the cake with aluminum foil if the top begins browning too much.
Step 13: Remove the cake from the oven when done and let it cool for about 15 minutes in the pan before inverting to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze:
Step 14: Cream the softened butter and cream cheese using a mixer until smooth. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth. Now, add the vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
Step 15: Once the cake has cooled, spread the glaze on top of it. Keep the cake in the fridge until the frosting has set.
Garnish:
Step 16: In a small saucepan, melt half a cup of white chocolate chips with a tbsp vegetable oil over low heat until smooth.
Step 17: Sprinkle the dried cranberries on top of the cake and drizzle with chocolate.
Note:
Thaw the frozen cranberries, then rinse with cold water until the water is clear. Drain, then pat the cranberries dry using paper towels.
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 3 Eggs
- 2 tbsp browned butter
- 187 g. cake flour-sifted (it’s about 1 1/2 c. + 3 tbsp cake flour before sifting. Make sure to measure it on a kitchen scale or the cake will dense or dry if you overdo the flour )
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 c. cranberries (fresh or thawed)
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 140 g. (5 ounces) white chocolate chunk
- 300 g. sugar ( 1 and 1/2 c.)
- 1/2 c. mascarpone cheese
- 115 g. (1/2 c.) unsalted butter-softened at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Frosting:
- 112 g. (4 ounces) cream cheese-softened
- 56 g. (1/4 c.) unsalted butter-softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar (or more to make it thick enough to spread on top of the cake)
- Garnish:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
- handful dried cranberries
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare your convection air oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F. Or your oven to 350 degrees F (make sure to rotate the pan halfway through baking).
Step 2: Grease and flour an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 (9 x 5-3_ inches loaf pan. Then, line it with parchment paper.
Step 3: Mix the cake flour with baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture three times and set aside.
Step 4: Cook 2 1/2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until nice amber colour. Remove the foam and set the butter aside to cool.
Step 5: Combine the egg with vanilla extract until well blended. Set aside.
Step 6: On medium speed, mix the butter until creamy. Gradually add in the sugar, beating until creamy. Now, add the heavy cream followed by the mascarpone. Beat again on medium speed.
Step 7: Adjust the speed of the mixer to low speed, then slowly add in the dry ingredients alternately with the eggs.
Step 8: To the chocolate chunks, add a handful of flour and toss until the chunks are evenly coated. Do the same with the cranberries.
Step 9: In the batter, add the chocolate chunks. Toss, then gently fold in the cranberries.
Step 10: Into the prepared loaf pan, pour the batter. Smooth the top, then tap the pan gently on your working surface the remove any air bubbles.
Step 11: Draw a line down the middle of the pound cake using a butter knife. Into the line, pour the browned butter.
Step 12: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the cake for about 55 to 65 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. If using a regular oven, the baking might be 10 minutes longer. Cover the cake with aluminium foil if the top begins browning too much.
Step 13: Remove the cake from the oven when done and let it cool for about 15 minutes in the pan before inverting to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze:
Step 14: Cream the softened butter and cream cheese using a mixer until smooth. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth. Now, add the vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
Step 15: Once the cake has cooled, spread the glaze on top of it. Keep the cake in the fridge until the frosting has set.
Garnish:
Step 16: In a small saucepan, melt half a cup of white chocolate chips with a tbsp vegetable oil over low heat until smooth.
Step 17: Sprinkle the dried cranberries on top of the cake and drizzle with chocolate.
Notes
Thaw the frozen cranberries, then rinse with cold water until the water is clear. Drain, then pat the cranberries dry using paper towels.
