Description
This Cranberry Christmas Cake is a festive, moist, and tender dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. Bursting with tart cranberries and enhanced with subtle notes of vanilla and almond extracts, this cake combines simple ingredients for a deliciously festive treat. Easy to prepare and ideal for sharing, it’s a perfect centerpiece for your Christmas dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Fruit
- 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan by greasing it with butter or oil and lightly flouring it or lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the batter: Using a mixer, beat the eggs and granulated sugar on high speed until the mixture becomes pale and thick, which should take about 5 minutes. This creates a light texture in the cake. Then, mix in the melted butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, blending well.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt.
- Mix wet and dry: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula, taking care not to overmix to keep the batter light and fluffy.
- Add cranberries: Fold the fresh or frozen cranberries into the batter evenly, ensuring they are coated in the batter but without breaking them up.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This ensures the cake is fully cooked and moist.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate (optional): Once completely cooled, decorate as desired. You can dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with glaze, or top with frosting for added festivity.
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries; if using frozen, do not thaw before mixing to prevent the batter from becoming too watery.
- The almond extract is optional but adds a lovely complementary flavor to the cranberries.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients to avoid a dense cake.
- Test the cake’s doneness with a toothpick; if it comes out with a few moist crumbs, the cake is perfectly baked.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- This cake pairs wonderfully with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
