Introduction

This White Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake is a festive and flavorful treat perfect for special occasions or cozy gatherings. The moist cake combines tart cranberries with creamy white chocolate buttercream for a delightful balance of sweet and tangy. Topped with sugared cranberries and slivered almonds, this cake will impress both in taste and presentation.

A slice of cake with two visible layers is placed on a white plate on top of a green cloth. The cake is light yellow with red berry pieces inside. The outside is covered with thick white frosting. On top of the frosting, there are three sugar-coated red berries, orange peel, and sliced almonds. Two sugar-coated berries and some almond slices lie on the plate next to the cake. A silver fork rests on the plate's right edge. The background shows a blurred whole cake, red berries in a glass, all set on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 and 1/4 cups (273g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (170g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups (397g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (53g) light brown sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (227g) fresh cranberries
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (for cranberries)
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature (for buttercream)
2 and 1/2 cups (283g) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (for buttercream)
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon almond extract (for buttercream)
6 ounces (170g) quality white chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar, divided (for sugared cranberries)
1/4 cup (57g) water (for sugared cranberries)
1 cup (113g) fresh or frozen cranberries (for sugared cranberries)
Handful of slivered almonds (for topping)
Orange zest (for garnish)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Generously grease a 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan, making sure to coat all the nooks and crannies. Use a non-stick baking spray with flour, or grease with butter or shortening and dust with flour. Set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2¼ cups flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
Step 3: Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the 1½ cups butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add both sugars and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in orange zest, vanilla, and almond extract.
Step 4: Reduce mixer speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Lower speed to low and mix in the flour mixture just until combined. Turn off the mixer.
Step 5: Toss the 2 cups cranberries with 3 tablespoons flour in a separate bowl. Fold cranberry mixture gently into the batter with a spatula until evenly distributed.
Step 6: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top.
Step 7: Bake for 70 to 75 minutes or until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then invert and cool completely.
Step 8: For the white chocolate buttercream, beat 1 cup butter on medium speed until smooth. Lower speed to low and gradually add confectioners’ sugar until incorporated. Add salt, heavy cream, almond extract, and melted white chocolate; beat until smooth. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.
Step 9: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Garnish with slivered almonds, orange zest, and sugared cranberries if desired.
Step 10: To make sugared cranberries, combine ¼ cup sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers lightly. Add cranberries and coat. Remove cranberries with a slotted spoon to a wire rack; dry for at least 30 minutes.
Step 11: After drying, roll cranberries in remaining ¾ cup sugar in small batches until coated. Let dry for at least 1 hour before using.

Tips & Variations

Be sure to toss the cranberries with flour before folding them into batter; this prevents them from sinking to the bottom.
Use fresh cranberries for the best texture in the cake, but frozen work well for the sugared cranberry topping without thawing.
For extra citrus flavor, add a teaspoon of orange extract to the batter along with the almond extract.
If you don’t have a bundt pan, this batter can be baked in a tube pan or two 9-inch round pans; adjust baking time accordingly.

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture. The sugared cranberries can be stored separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat small slices gently if desired, but this cake is best enjoyed fresh or at room temperature.

How to Serve

A slice of a moist yellow cake with red berries inside sits on a round wire cooling rack, showing its soft texture and berry-filled layers. The cake is covered on top with a thick layer of white creamy frosting, swirled and textured, with a few whole red berries and orange zest pieces on it. More whole berries are scattered around the cake slice. The background is dark with a white marbled surface under the rack, and there is a halved orange blurred in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake the cake a day ahead and keep it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature. Frost it and add toppings just before serving for the freshest appearance.

Can I substitute other berries for the cranberries?

Fresh or frozen raspberries or chopped dried cherries can be used, but the tartness of cranberries is key to balancing the sweetness of the white chocolate buttercream.