Learn how to make the best white chocolate cranberry cake with this recipe. This cake has layers of poppy seed vanilla cake with a cranberry compote and white chocolate cream cheese frosting for a stunning winter layer cake.
I fell in love with sugared cranberries at the end of last year. I'd honestly never eaten them before I made a batch to top that chestnut cake in November (remember that cake? It was so cute!). I thought sugared cranberries were a fad, something cute to put on top of a layer cake. Turns out that yes, they are certainly pretty to look at, but they are also easy to make and a treat to eat.
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Ingredients
- sugar—use granulated sugar because it won't impart a taste that may interfere with the delicate flavours of the components of this recipe
- cranberries—use fresh cranberries, especially for the sugared cranberries. You could use frozen cranberries for the cranberry cake filling
- salt—Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- pure vanilla extract
- flour—use bleached all-purpose flour
- leavening agents—baking powder is used in the cake. Do not confuse it with baking soda. If you aren't sure the difference, read about baking soda vs baking powder.
- poppy seeds are optional, but they give the cake layers a really special look
- butter—use unsalted butter, but if you prefer to bake with salted, cut back on the salt in the cake recipe
- eggs—use large egg(s) that are at room temperature
- milk— use whole milk (3.25 % fat) or milk with at least 2 % fat
- cream cheese—use full-fat cream cheese sold in bars, like Philadelphia cream cheese (full fat, regular). Do not use whipped cream cheese or cream cheese spread.
- white chocolate—make sure to use a good quality white chocolate that has around 30 % cocoa content in it. Do not use candy melts or white chocolate chips
- lemon juice—I prefer fresh lemon juice for its flavour
Please refer to the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Frosting—I have made this cake with two different frostings: the white chocolate cream cheese as written below and this thick cream cheese frosting, which is much easier to make than the white chocolate cream cheese frosting. Both work great with this recipe, but the flavour is a little different, obviously, because one is sweetened with white chocolate and the other with icing sugar.
- Poppy seed cake—you can omit the poppy seeds if you don't have them or don't want them. They don't add a ton of flavour and are more for looks and texture.
- Almond cake flavour—the cake layers would taste great with pure almond extract added to the batter along with the vanilla. Use carefully: add about 2.5–5 mL (½–1 teaspoon) as it can be quite potent.
How it's Made
Layer cakes take a little more time to make and assemble, so plan accordingly!
- The day before, make the sugared cranberries and the cranberry compote
- The day you want to serve the cake, bake the cake layers in the morning, then finish the sugared cranberries and make the frosting so that you can assemble the cake.
Step 1: Make a simple syrup by combining sugar and water in a small saucepan (image 1) and heat it on the stove until it's clear and the sugar has all dissolved (image 2). Pour the syrup over the cranberries in a bowl, stirring to coat them in syrup. Let them sit in the syrup overnight before draining (image 4).
Step 2: Toss the syrup-coated cranberries in granulated sugar to coat them (image 5), then lay them on a wire rack over a sheet pan (image 6). Let them stand for at least an hour to dry (image 7) before using them.
Step 3: Combine the sugar, cranberries, water, and salt in a small saucepan (image 8) and cook them together on the stove until you get a thick compote (image 9). Add the vanilla off the heat and store the compote in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Step 4: Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (image 10). Beat them until light and fluffy (image 11), then add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla (image 12). Whip the batter until it's fluffy and light (image 13).
Step 5: Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (image 14), then add them to the batter (image 15), alternating with the milk (image 16). Stir until combined (image 17).
Step 6: Split the cake batter between three prepared 6-inch cake pans using a large disher (image 18), and then smooth the tops with a mini offset spatula (image 19).
Step 7: Once the batter is smoothed and level (image 20), bake until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and the cake is set (image 21).
Step 8: Chop the white chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl (image 22). Melt the chocolate gently over a double boiler until smooth (image 23). Meanwhile, whip the cream cheese until soft and fluffy (image 24), then drizzle the cooled melted white chocolate with the mixer running (image 25).
Step 9: Whip the cream cheese and white chocolate mixture until thick, fluffy, and well mixed (image 26), then slowly incorporate the softened butter and lemon juice (image 27). Beat the frosting until thick and fluffy, like whipped cream (image 28). If you notice any flecks of butter or white chocolate, you can pass the frosting through a fine-mesh sieve to smooth it out (image 29).
Step 10: Level the cake layers using a serrated knife (image 30). Place the first layer on your cake stand, then pipe a dam of white chocolate cream cheese frosting around the perimeter (image 31). Fill with half the cranberry compote, smoothing it out from edge to edge within the dam (image 32). Top with a thin layer of frosting, then repeat the process with the 2nd layer of cake, the frosting, and the last of the compote. Stack the third layer on top and coat the outside of the cake with all the remaining frosting.
Step 11: Decorate with sugared cranberries (image 34) before serving.
Layer Cake Tips
You don't need to be a professional pastry chef to decorate a layer cake. Topping this layer cake with sugared cranberries and vertically dragging a mini offset spatula up the sides of the frosting to create a ridged effect are all you need to jazz up this cake and make it stunning. I am not a professional cake decorator, but THIS, I can handle, and so can you!
Layer Cake FAQs
Store this cake for 3 days at room temperature, covered. For a detailed explanation of storing after slicing, read about how to store cake.
I split the batter between three 6-inch cake pans. Take the time to prepare the cake pans before baking, by buttering the pans, lining the bottom with parchment, and dusting the sides with flour. This way your cakes will slide right out of the pan, without any tearing.
Other Desserts Make with Cranberries
If layer cakes aren't your thing, you can always make:
- cranberry chestnut cake, a festive loaf cake for the winter months
- cranberry chestnut financiers, which are infinitely faster to bake.
- gingerbread cranberry muffins to snack on
- fancy, but easy make-ahead cranberry eggnog trifle
If you tried this white chocolate cranberry cake recipe (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
Ingredients
For the sugared cranberries
- 250 grams water
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 150 grams fresh cranberries
- 50 grams granulated sugar more or less, for dusting the cranberries
For the cranberry filling
- 100 grams fresh cranberries
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 30 grams water
- 1.25 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 1.25 mL pure vanilla extract
For the cake
- 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
- 10 mL baking powder
- 1.25 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 10 mL poppy seeds
- 173 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 250 grams granulated sugar
- 3 large egg(s) room temperature
- 5 mL pure vanilla extract
- 188 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
For the frosting
- 340 grams Philadelphia cream cheese (full fat, regular) softened
- 255 grams white chocolate
- 173 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 23 grams fresh lemon juice
Instructions
To make the sugared cranberries
- Heat together the water and the cup of granulated sugar on medium–low to dissolve the sugar.
- Transfer the syrup to a heat proof bowl and let cool 15 minutes.
- Add the cranberries, cover the bowl, and chill in the fridge for serveral hours or overnight, stirring every so often.
- Toss with half the remaining 50 grams (¼ cup) of sugar to coat all sides. Let dry on a rack set on a sheet pan to set and dry out before using.
To make the cranberry filling
- In a small saucepan, heat the cranberries, sugar, water, and salt on low to dissolve the sugar.
- Increase the heat to medium, and boil to thicken the filling. The filling should be very thick. Transfer the filling to a container, stir in the vanilla, and refrigerate overnight.
To make the cake layers
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease, flour, and line the bottoms of three 6x2-inch (15x5-cm) round cake pans (I like these pans from Wilton available on Amazon) pans. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, poppy seeds, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla, beating well between each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Finish stirring the last bit of flour into the batter by hand.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans (~330 grams per pan). Tap pans on the counter and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake the layers for 28 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack completely.
To make the white chocolate cream cheese frosting
- Chop the white chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl. Melt it over a double boiler until silky smooth, then let it cool before using it.
- Whip the cream cheese in a stand mixer until fluffy and very soft, then with the mixer on low, slowly drizzle the cooled melted white chocolate. Continue beating until light and fluffy.
- Add the butter, a little at a time, and mix until it's all incorporated. Beat for several minutes until you have a thick, fluffy smooth frosting. If you notice any flecks of butter or white chocolate, you can pass the frosting through a strainer to smooth it out.
To assemble the cake
- Remove the parchment paper from the layers. Level the tops of the cakes so they are flat with a serrated knife.
- Fill a piping bag (fitted with a 20 mm round tip or with a large opening) with frosting.
- Place one layer of cake on the cake stand, pipe a rim of frosting, and fill with half the cranberry filling, smoothing with a spatula.
- Pipe frosting over top to completely cover the rim and filling, smoothing with a spatula again.
- Top with a second layer of cake and repeat the rim, filling, and frosting step.
- Top with the third layer of cake. Completely frost the outside of the cake.
- Use your spatula to smooth and add texture to the sides of the cake, and top the cake with sugared cranberries just before serving.
Notes
- Layer cakes take time to make. Here's a schedule to help you get organized:
- The day before: make the sugared cranberries and the cranberry compote
- The day you want to serve the cake: bake the cake layers in the morning, then finish the sugared cranberries and make the frosting so that you can assemble the cake.
- Frosting—I have made this cake with two different frostings: the white chocolate cream cheese as written below and this thick cream cheese frosting, which is much easier to make than the white chocolate cream cheese frosting. Both work great with this recipe, but the flavour is a little different, obviously, because one is sweetened with white chocolate and the other with icing sugar.
- Poppy seed cake—you can omit the poppy seeds if you don't have them or don't want them. They don't add a ton of flavour and are more for looks and texture.
- Almond cake flavour—the cake layers would taste great with pure almond extract added to the batter along with the vanilla. Use carefully: add about 2.5–5 mL (½–1 teaspoon) as it can be quite potent.
- I split the batter between three 6-inch cake pans. Take the time to prepare the cake pans before baking, by buttering the pans, lining the bottom with parchment, and dusting the sides with flour. This way, your cakes will slide right out of the pan without any tearing.
- Store this cake for three days at room temperature, covered. For a detailed explanation of storing after slicing, read about how to store cake.
Nutrition
Lidy C says
Dear Janice, Oh how precious cakes!
May you have many healthy years ahead making this adorable and delicious looking cakes!
You are so artistic in the presentation and photography of the cakes. It makes our mouth watery. Happy blated birthady and i am looking forward to one day be able to make this crambery cake. It is so lovely and appealling.
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.) says
What a stunning cake Janice! A wonderful way to celebrate - I've no doubt there is more awesome and delicious in your future this year! xx
Marlene says
I'm utterly enchanted by this cake! It's so, so pretty and I can only imagine how good it must taste. I wish I'd had something like this for my birthday, which was on Monday. Sadly, no cake for me this year! But next year, I can make this one! Happy birthday to you, and best wishes for more pretty cakes in the year ahead!
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
What a gorgeous cake! Cranberry + cardamom sounds like an amazing combination, perfect for a layer cake 🙂 Love the sugared cranberries on top too!
Janice says
Thanks! I hope you get to try the recipe sometime soon!
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says
Happy belated birthday Janice! This cake is gorgeous and so are the photos! Although I love to bake, I've never attempted a layer cake... it's never too late to start 🙂 .
Janice says
You have to try! Layer cakes are my absolute favourite thing to make. I find it so satisfying to stack the cakes and frost the outside. I'm not fancy about the way I finish my cakes, but I really love making them.
Olivia @ livforcake says
This cake is just beautiful Janice, as are the photos! I am also a sweatpants kinda girl and wonder if I'll ever be a put-together pencil skirt and heels kind. Unlikely, hah! Hope you had a wonderful birthday! Happy birthday!! xo
Janice says
Thanks, Olivia! Stretchy pant wearers unite! We should form a support group.
Kimberlie Robert says
Hi Janice! I just want to say that the photography in this post is beautiful. Honestly, the cake looks absolutely delicious. Is there any left? Can I have a piece? And happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful year filled with lots of fun and more beautiful cake.
Janice says
Thanks, Kim! I really appreciate your comment! I ended up serving the cake at a brunch with friends, so no more cake for either of us 😉