Cranberry Christmas Cake with Orange Zest; a Unique Blend

Cranberry Christmas cake with orange zest is a unique combo in the cake that provides a citrusy and sweeter flavor that enhances its delicacy. I make this cake with the zest of fresh oranges and cranberries for the best taste.

This cake has various health benefits because oranges and cranberries contain many rich nutrients that help reduce the risk of many diseases. I love this cranberry Christmas cake with orange zest because I baked it on Sundays, too, besides Christmas.

I also experimented with placing chocolate fudge cake chocolate topping on the top layer of this pound cake. It was extra delicious. Try different topping layers like pineapple cream frosting or lemon cream topping. Just skip sponge recipes, prepare the frosting recipe, and frost your cranberry cake with these frostings.

This cranberry orange pound cake with sour cream is baked with zest of fresh oranges. Sour cream provides a tingling taste and helps raise the cake when mixed with baking powder in reaction.

Variations of Cranberry Christmas Cake with Orange Zest

You can also make this cake in different variations. If you don’t like this cake in pound shape, you can also make it in other shapes by placing the same cake batter in a round cake pan of 8 inches or a bundt cake pan. My Simple iced Christmas cake is also a unique dessert for Christmas.

Identifying The Ingredients in Cranberry Christmas Cake with Orange Zest

Butter: Take unsalted butter. It should be at room temperature. Room-temperature butter will provide a better texture to the batter.

Cream: use full-fat cream. Take sour cream; it will provide better fluffiness to the cake.

Cranberries: Take fresh cranberries; they will provide good flavor. But if you don’t have fresh cranberries, you can use frozen ones, but thaw them by placing them in the refrigerator for 7 to 8 hours. 

Eggs: Use eggs that are at room temperature. Don’t use refrigerated eggs; they will ruin your cake’s texture.

I provide a step-by-step guide on preparing cranberry Christmas cake with orange zest.

Let’s Start Our Recipe of Cranberry Christmas Cake With Orange Zest:

Ingredients:

• • all-purpose flour- 3 cups 
  • teaspoon baking powder- 3 teaspoons
  • teaspoon acceptable kosher salt- 2 tsp 
  • granulated sugar- 2 cups
  • Orange zest- 1 medium orange
  • unsalted butter- 2 cups  
  • eggs- 4 large
  • almond extract – 2 tsp
  • full-fat sour cream room temperature – half cup
  • fresh cranberries or frozen – 2 cups  

  Procedure:

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
  2. Get the cake pan of 9-inch pound cake ready with butter, flour, and parchment paper. Put it aside.
  3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside after whisking together.
  4. Rub the sugar and orange zest together in a low-speed stand mixer. Then, mix in softened butter on medium speed and beat it for 5 – 8 minutes. It will change its color and texture. It becomes light yellow and fluffy.
  5. Mix one egg at a time on medium speed. Make sure you scrape the bowl to incorporate all the mixture in. Stir in almond extract and sour cream. Combine everything well. You may notice that the batter appears curdled at this point. You don’t need to worry about that; everything will work out.
  6. Then, put the flour mixture in it and mix it with a hand whisk. Then, start pulsing the stand mixer on low speed to combine the batter well and make it thick and homogeneous. Avoid overmixing. 
  7. Then, add fresh or thawed cranberries. A rubber spatula will help you fold in the cranberries.
  8. Pour the batter into a greased pound cake pan and level it using a spatula. Let it bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Then, test it by inserting a toothpick.  
  9. Let it cool in the cake mold pan, then transfer it to the cooling rack.
  10. Then dust its top with icing sugar and place sugar-coated cranberries over it to decorate. 

  Eventually, the cranberry Christmas cake with orange zest is ready to serve.

  It can be served with tea or coffee. This is a Christmas special dessert because of its unique flavor of orange zest and cranberries, but it still is cooked for a whole year because of its delicacy.