Ingredients
For the cranberry pound cake:
1 ½ cups plus 3 tbsp cake flour;
½ tsp baking powder;
pinch of salt;
2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter;
3 eggs;
1 tsp vanilla extract;
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature;
1 ½ cups granulated sugar;
½ cup heavy cream;
½ cup mascarpone cheese;
5 oz white chocolate chunks;
1 cup fresh cranberries.
For the glaze:
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature;
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature;
1 cup powdered sugar;
1 tsp vanilla extract.
For the garnish:
½ cup white chocolate chips;
1 tbsp vegetable oil;
handful dried cranberries.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a saucepan, melt 2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter and heat until amber. Remove from the heat. Set aside.
In a bowl, beat together eggs and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream ½ cup softened butter using an electric mixer. Then, add sugar and beat until combined. Add heavy cream and mascarpone cheese. Beat using an electric mixer until well combined.
Mix together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift. Add dry ingredients and egg mixture alternately to the creamy batter. Mix until combined after each addition.
In a small bowl, coat white chocolate chunks with 1-2 tbsp all-purpose flour. Add to the batter and stir carefully. Repeat with fresh cranberries. In a small bowl, coat cranberries with 1-2 tbsp all-purpose flour. Then, add to the batter and stir carefully.
Grease an 8×4 inches loaf pan. Then, line with parchment paper (leave some paper hanging on two sides, it will help to remove the cranberry pound cake from the loaf pan).
Pour this creamy batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread evenly. Then, draw a line down the center of the cake using a butter knife. Drizzle this line with browned butter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until the cake is ready and the top is brown. Check the readiness of the cranberry pound cake using a toothpick inserted in the center, if it comes out clean – the cake is ready. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for up to 15 minutes in a loaf pan. Then, remove the cranberry pound cake from the pan and let it cool completely on the cooling rack.
While the cranberry pound cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract using an electric mixer. Then, add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Spread this creamy frosting on the top of the cooled cranberry pound cake. Refrigerate until the creamy filling is set.
Prepare the garnish. In a microwave-safe bowl melt white chocolate chips with vegetable oil. Stir.
When the frosting is set, decorate your cranberry pound cake with dried cranberries and drizzle with white chocolate. Enjoy!
