Cranberry Christmas Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
A festive and moist cranberry Christmas cake layered with a luscious orange cream cheese frosting. This deliciously spiced cake is perfect for holiday celebrations, featuring fresh cranberries in the batter and a tangy-sweet frosting made with cream cheese, orange juice, and a splash of orange liqueur for an elegant finish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8-10 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western/Christmas
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 250g (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 250g (1⅓ cups) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 clementine or mandarin orange
- 250g (1¾ cups) all-purpose flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ½ tsp salt
- 100g (1 cup) fresh cranberries, plus a handful for decorating
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- 400g (2 cups) full-fat cream cheese
- 300ml (1¼ cups) double cream (36% fat) or whipping cream
- 65g (½ cup) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur (such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier)
Instructions
- Prep the pans: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter two 8-inch baking pans or spray them with cake release spray and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream the softened butter with the caster sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and flavorings: Add eggs one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar, beating for about one minute after each addition until fully combined. Mix in the vanilla extract and orange zest.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix thoroughly, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Gently fold in the fresh cranberries.
- Divide batter and bake: Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans, weighing them if desired to ensure equal portions. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Then remove from the pans and cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the frosting: In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, double cream, icing sugar, fresh orange juice, and orange liqueur. Whip with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. For US readers, whip room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar, orange juice, and liqueur until light and fluffy, whip the cream separately, then fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a stand, spread one-quarter of the frosting evenly over it. Place the second cake layer on top, then cover the entire cake, including top and sides, with the remaining frosting using an offset spatula.
- Decorate: Reserve ½ cup of frosting for piping rosettes on top if desired, or create pretty swirls with the back of a spoon. Decorate with fresh cranberries and sprinkles as a festive garnish.
Notes
- Make sure butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for easier mixing.
- Fresh cranberries can be gently folded in whole or halved for texture variation.
- The orange liqueur can be omitted or replaced with more orange juice for a non-alcoholic version.
- Check cakes at 30 minutes to avoid overbaking, as oven temperatures may vary.
- The frosting can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before frosting the cake.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute cream cheese and cream with suitable plant-based alternatives, though the texture will vary.
Keywords: Christmas cake, cranberry cake, orange cream cheese frosting, holiday cake, festive dessert, layered cake, winter baking
