Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 65 | Yield: 12
Want a foolproof, crowd-pleasing Christmas dessert that’s also a breeze to prepare? If you’re looking for something rich and delicious, then you have to try this pound cake topped with cranberries, white chocolate, and cream cheese icing. Everyone in your family will be begging for this dessert!
Ingredients
Cake:
3 eggs
187 g. cake flour-sifted (it’s about 1 ½ c. plus 3 tbsp cake flour before sifting but you better measure it on a kitchen scale because the cake could be dense or dry if you overdo it with the flour )
1 c. cranberries (fresh or thawed)
2 tbsp browned butter
140 g (5 ounces) white chocolate chunk
115 g (½ c.) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
½ c heavy cream
300 g. sugar ( 1 ½ c.)
½ c. mascarpone cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Frosting:
112 g. (4 ounces) cream cheese-softened
56 g. (¼ c.) unsalted butter-softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ c. powdered sugar (or more to make it thick enough to spread on top of the cake)
Garnish:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ c. white chocolate chips
handful dried cranberries
How to make Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
Step 1: Prepare the convection air oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F. If a convection air oven is not available, simply raise the temperature to 350 degrees F and make sure to rotate the pan halfway through baking.
Step 2: Grease and flour an 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 (or 9 x 5 x 3 )inches loaf pan, then line using parchment paper.
Step 3: Mix the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift the mixture 3 times and set aside.
Step 4: Melt 2.5 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the amber color. Set the melted butter aside to cool.
Step 5: Mix the egg along with the vanilla extract until well blended. Set aside.
Step 6: On medium speed, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add in the sugar and beat until creamy. Next, add the heavy cream and mascarpone. Then, continue beating at medium speed.
Step 7: Adjust the speed on the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients alternately with eggs. In chocolate chunks, add a handful of flour and toss until evenly coated. Then, fold in a handful of cranberries.
Step 8: In the batter, mix in the chocolate chunks and gently fold in the cranberries. Into the prepared loaf pan, pour the batter. Then, smooth the top and tap the pan gently on the work surface. This will get rid of the air bubbles.
Step 9: Draw a line down the middle of the pound cake using a butter knife. Into the line, pour the browned butter.
Step 10: Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cover the cake with aluminum foil if the top begins to brown too much.
Step 11: In the pan, let the cake cool for about 15 minutes before inverting it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze:
Step 12: Ready the glaze once the cake is completely cooled.
Step 13: Cream the softened butter and cream cheese using a mixer until smooth. Then, gradually add in the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Step 14: On top of the cake, spread the glaze. Let it set in the fridge.
Garnish:
Step 15: In a small saucepan, melt half a cup of white chocolate chips in 1 tbsp vegetable oil over low heat until smooth. If the mixture is thin, let it cool.
Step 16: On top of the cake, sprinkle the dried cranberries and drizzle with chocolate.
Note:
Thaw the frozen cranberries before rinsing them with cold water until the water is clear. Then, drain and make sure to pat them dry with a paper towel before using.
