Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake

Looking for a perfect and delicious Christmas dessert? Try this decadent pound cake, featuring juicy cranberries, creamy white chocolate, and a rich cream cheese frosting! Your family will love having this delightful treat at their holiday celebrations!

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 187 grams cake flour, sifted (about 1 ½ cups plus 3 tablespoons before sifting; best measured with a kitchen scale to avoid density)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup cranberries (fresh or thawed)
• 140 grams (5 oz.) white chocolate chunks
• 115 grams (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 300 grams sugar (1 ½ cups)
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons browned butter

For the Frosting:

• 56 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 112 grams (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (or more for desired thickness)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Garnish:

• Handful of dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your convection oven to 325°F (or 350°F if using a regular oven, rotating the pan halfway through baking).

2. Prepare the Pan:

• Grease an 8.5 x 4.5 x 3-inch (or 9 x 5 x 3-inch) loaf pan with butter and flour, then line it with parchment paper.

3. Sift the Dry Ingredients:

• In a bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift the mixture three times and set aside.

4. Brown the Butter:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, brown 2.5 tablespoons of butter until it turns a nice amber color. Remove the foam and let it cool.

5. Prepare the Egg Mixture:

• Whisk the eggs with vanilla extract in a separate bowl and set aside.

6. Cream the Butter and Sugar:

• In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

7. Combine Wet Ingredients:

• Add the heavy cream and mascarpone cheese to the butter mixture and mix on medium speed.

8. Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients:

• Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with the egg mixture, mixing until just combined.

9. Prepare Cranberries and Chocolate:

• Toss the white chocolate chunks in a small amount of flour to coat them evenly. Similarly, toss the cranberries in a bit of flour to prevent them from sinking in the batter.

10. Combine Everything:

• Stir the floured chocolate chunks into the batter, followed by gently folding in the cranberries.

11. Bake the Cake:

• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Gently tap the pan on the countertop to remove air bubbles.
• Using a butter knife, draw a line down the center of the cake and pour the browned butter into this line.
• Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If using a regular oven, baking may take an additional 10 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, tent the cake with aluminum foil.

12. Cool the Cake:

• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting and Garnishing:

• While the cake cools, prepare the frosting by beating the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until creamy.
• Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting generously on top. Garnish with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips for an extra festive touch!

This Cranberry White Chocolate Pound Cake is not only a showstopper but also a delicious addition to your Christmas dessert table. Enjoy every delightful bite!