Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake with White Chocolate Cranberry Glaze Recipe

Introduction

This Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake is a festive treat bursting with fresh cranberries and rich white chocolate chunks. Moist and flavorful, it’s topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting and a delicate drizzle of melted white chocolate. Perfect for holiday gatherings or a special seasonal dessert.

Ingredients

• 187 grams cake flour, sifted (about 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons before sifting)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup cranberries (fresh or thawed)
• 140 grams (5 oz.) white chocolate chunks
• 115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 300 grams sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons browned butter

Frosting:

• 56 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 112 grams (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or more, to reach desired thickness)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:

• Handful dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the convection air oven to 325°F. If you don’t have a convection oven, set the temperature to 350°F and plan to rotate the pan halfway through baking.
2. Step 2: Butter and flour an 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 inch (or 9 x 5 x 3 inch) loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper.
3. Step 3: Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; sift the mixture three times. Set aside.
4. Step 4: In a small saucepan over medium heat, brown 2.5 tablespoons of butter until it reaches a rich amber color. Remove the foam and set aside to cool.
5. Step 5: Whisk eggs with vanilla extract and set aside.
6. Step 6: Using a mixer, beat softened butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar while continuing to beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
7. Step 7: Add heavy cream and mascarpone cheese to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until combined.
8. Step 8: Lower the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the eggs, mixing gently.
9. Step 9: Toss white chocolate chunks with a handful of flour to coat evenly, and do the same with cranberries. Fold chocolate chunks into the batter, then gently stir in the cranberries.
10. Step 10: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top and tap the pan lightly on the countertop to release air bubbles.
11. Step 11: With a butter knife, draw a line down the center of the batter. Carefully pour the cooled browned butter into the line.
12. Step 12: Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Without a convection oven, bake about 10 minutes longer and tent with foil if the top browns too quickly.
13. Step 13: Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
14. Step 14: To make the frosting, beat softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and spreadable. Mix in vanilla extract.
15. Step 15: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Refrigerate until the frosting is set.
16. Step 16: For the garnish, melt white chocolate chips with vegetable oil in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Allow to cool if too thin.
17. Step 17: Sprinkle dried cranberries over the frosted cake. Drizzle the melted white chocolate on top using a spoon or pipe it from a small bag with the corner cut off for a decorative look.

Tips & Variations

• Measuring flour by weight ensures the cake stays moist and tender, avoiding dryness or density from too much flour.
• Use fresh cranberries for a tart bite, or thawed frozen cranberries if fresh aren’t available.
• If white chocolate chunks are unavailable, chop a white chocolate bar into small pieces as a substitute.
• Try substituting mascarpone with cream cheese for a slightly tangier flavor.
• Tent the cake with foil if it browns too quickly to prevent burning while baking fully inside.

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture. The frosting may firm up when chilled; a brief rest at room temperature will soften it. You can also freeze the cake (without frosting) wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting and serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen cranberries instead of fresh?

Yes, frozen cranberries can be used. Thaw and drain them well before adding to the batter to prevent extra moisture from affecting the cake’s texture.

What if I don’t have mascarpone cheese?

You can substitute mascarpone with an equal amount of cream cheese for a similar creamy texture and a slightly tangier flavor.

Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake with White Chocolate Cranberry Glaze Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 74 reviews

This Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake is a festive and rich dessert combining a tender, buttery pound cake with bursts of fresh cranberries and white chocolate chunks. Topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and drizzled with white chocolate and dried cranberries, it’s a perfect holiday treat that balances sweetness with tartness and a hint of nutty browned butter.

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 65 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf cake (8–10 servings) 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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For the Cake:

• 187 grams cake flour, sifted (about 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons before sifting)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup fresh or thawed cranberries
• 140 grams (5 oz) white chocolate chunks
• 115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 300 grams (1 1/2 cups) sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons browned butter (about 2.5 tablespoons butter browned)

Frosting:

• 56 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 112 grams (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or more to reach desired thickness)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:

• Handful dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat a convection air oven to 325°F. If unavailable, set a conventional oven to 350°F and plan to rotate the pan halfway through baking. Butter and flour an 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 inch or 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan, lining it with parchment paper for easy release.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift this mixture three times to ensure even distribution and better texture; set aside.
3. Browning Butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, brown 2.5 tablespoons of butter until it turns a nice amber color, making sure to remove the foam. Set aside to cool—this adds a nutty flavor to the cake.
4. Prepare Eggs: Whisk the eggs together with the vanilla extract and keep aside for later inclusion.
5. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar while continuing to beat until the mixture is fluffy and light in texture.
6. Add Dairy: Incorporate heavy cream and mascarpone cheese into the creamed sugar and butter mixture, mixing on medium speed until fully combined.
7. Combine Wet and Dry: With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the egg mixture. This alternating method helps maintain the batter’s lightness and prevents overmixing.
8. Coat Add-ins: Toss white chocolate chunks with a tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking. Similarly, toss cranberries with a small amount of flour to prevent them from clumping.
9. Fold in Chocolate and Cranberries: Gently fold the floured white chocolate chunks into the batter, then delicately stir in the floured cranberries to evenly distribute them without crushing.
10. Prepare for Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles.
11. Add Browned Butter: Using a butter knife, draw a line down the center of the batter in the pan and pour the cooled browned butter along the line. This will create a flavorful swirl within the cake.
12. Bake the Cake: Bake for approximately 55 to 65 minutes in a convection oven, or about 65 to 75 minutes in a conventional oven. The cake is done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cake browns too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
13. Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
14. Prepare Frosting: Once the cake has cooled, cream together softened butter and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar while continuing to beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Mix in vanilla extract.
15. Frost the Cake: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator to allow the frosting to set.
16. Melt Chocolate for Garnish: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the white chocolate chips together with the vegetable oil until smooth. Allow to cool slightly if too thin for drizzling.
17. Garnish: Sprinkle dried cranberries over the frosted cake. Drizzle the melted white chocolate on top using a spoon or place it in a small zip-lock bag with a corner cut off to pipe decorative lines over the cake.

Notes

• Measuring cake flour by weight is crucial for texture; too much flour can make the cake dense or dry.
• If you don’t have a convection air oven, increase the baking temperature to 350°F and rotate the pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
• Browned butter adds a rich, nutty flavor—do not skip this step for best taste.
• Coating the cranberries and chocolate chunks with flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
• If the cake top browns too fast during baking, tent with aluminum foil to prevent burning while the interior finishes cooking.
• Allow the frosting to set in the fridge before garnishing to keep the decoration intact.
• The white chocolate drizzle can be adjusted in thickness by cooling or adjusting the vegetable oil quantity.

Keywords: Christmas cake, cranberry pound cake, holiday dessert, white chocolate cake, mascarpone cake, cream cheese frosting, festive cake, pound cake recipe