A real treat to enjoy this Holiday. This Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake is a decadent dessert with cranberries, white chocolate, and heavenly cream cheese frosting. Surely everyone will love and enjoy every bite!
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
187 grams cake flour-sifted (it’s about 1 1/2 cups 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 )
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 c cranberries (fresh or thawed)
140 grams (5 ounces) a white chocolate chunk
115 grams (1/2 c) unsalted butter-softened at room temperature
300 grams sugar ( 1 1/2 c)
1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 c mascarpone cheese
3 Eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp browned butter
Frosting:
56 grams (1/4 c) unsalted butter-softened
112 grams (4 ounces) cream cheese-softened
1 1/2 c powdered sugar (or more to make it thick enough to spread on top of the cake)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish:
handful dried cranberries
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 c white chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Prepare the convection air oven to 325 degrees F. Or if a convection air oven is unavailable, raise your oven temperature to 350 degrees. When baking, you need to rotate the pan half-way through bake time.
Step 2: Grease with butter an 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 or 9 x 5 x 3 inches loaf pan, flour, and line with parchment paper.
Step 3: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt three times and set aside.
Step 4: Heat 2.5 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until you get a nice amber colour. Remove the foam and set the butter aside to cool.
Step 5: Combine the egg and vanilla extract. Set aside.
Step 6: Whisk the butter on medium speed until creamy and gradually add in the sugar, beating until creamy.
Step 7: Add in the heavy cream, then, the mascarpone. Beat on medium speed.
Step 8: Adjust the mixer on low speed and slowly add in the dry ingredients alternately with eggs.
Step 9: Add into the chocolate chunks a handful of flour. Toss to evenly cover and fold in the cranberries with another handful of flour to coat.
Step 10: Mix the chocolate chunks into the batter, then, stir in gently the cranberries.
Step 11: Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the tap. Remove any air bubbles by lightly tapping the pan on your work surface.
Step 12: Draw a line down the middle of the cake with a butter knife and pour to the line the browned butter.
Step 13: Place inside the preheated convection air oven and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown. Insert a toothpick in the centre of the cake, when it comes out clean the cake is done. When baking in the oven, bake for 10 minutes more. If the top begins browning too much, cover the cake with aluminium foil.
Step 14: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before taking it out of the pan and onto a wire rack.
Glaze:
Step 15: Cream the softened butter and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.
Step 16: Gradually add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth before mixing in the vanilla extract.
Step 17: Spread the glaze on top of the cooled cake and sit in the fridge.
Garnish:
Step 18: In a small saucepan, melt half a cup of white chocolate chips with a tbsp vegetable oil over low heat until smooth.
Step 19: Take the cake out of the fridge once the glaze is set and sprinkle the top of the cake with dried cranberries and drizzle with chocolate. Or use a spoon to drizzle the cake with chocolate or pipe.
NOTES
You need to thaw the frozen cranberries first before using it. Rinse them in cold water until the water is clear, drain, and dry on paper towels.