Description
This festive White Chocolate, Orange & Cranberry Christmas Cake is a moist and beautifully flavored layer cake enriched with velvety white chocolate and fresh orange zest, layered with tangy cranberry compote and a luscious cream cheese and white chocolate frosting. Perfectly festive and elegant, it’s decorated with meringue kisses, edible snowflakes, and optional gold leaf to create a stunning centerpiece for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 300g salted butter, chopped, plus extra for the tin
- 200g white chocolate, finely chopped
- 500g plain flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 500g white caster sugar
- 300ml natural yogurt
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large orange, zested and juiced
- 6 large eggs
- 4 tbsp milk
Cranberry Compote
- 200g cranberries
- 150g white caster sugar
Icing
- 200g white chocolate, finely chopped
- 500g salted butter, softened
- 750g icing sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 280g cream cheese
Decoration
- Meringue kisses (store-bought or homemade)
- Edible snowflake decorations (optional)
- Gold leaf (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Cake Tins and Melt Chocolate: Heat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/gas mark 4. Grease two 20cm cake tins with butter, then line the base and sides with baking parchment. Melt 150g butter with 100g white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the Batter: In a large bowl, combine 250g plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, and 250g white caster sugar. Create a well in the center and add 150ml yogurt, 2 tsp vanilla extract, the orange zest and juice, 3 eggs, and 2 tbsp milk. Whisk together, then fold in the melted butter and white chocolate mixture, resulting in a smooth, wet batter.
- Bake the First Two Layers: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins and bake on the middle shelf for 25-30 minutes. The cakes should be golden and risen; test doneness with a skewer which should come out clean. If needed, bake a few minutes longer. Cool cakes in their tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Repeat Batter and Baking: Clean and re-grease the tins, then repeat the mixing and baking steps to produce two more cake layers, ending with four sponge layers in total. Once cooled, cakes can be wrapped in cling film and stored or frozen for up to two months.
- Make Cranberry Compote: In a small saucepan, gently simmer the cranberries and 150g caster sugar for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is jammy. Allow to cool completely.
- Prepare the Icing: Melt 200g white chocolate either in short bursts in the microwave or over simmering water. In a mixing bowl, rough mash the softened 500g butter and sifted 750g icing sugar together. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add melted white chocolate and 280g cream cheese, then beat again until silky and uniform.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one sponge layer on a cake board. Spread a thin layer of icing and a layer of cranberry compote, then stack the next sponge. Continue layering all sponges, using the neatest-edged cake upside down on top to shape the cake well.
- Apply Crumb Coat: Spread about half of the remaining icing thinly over the entire cake using a palette knife. This seals in crumbs for a cleaner finish. Chill the cake in the fridge for 10-20 minutes or longer, until the icing firms.
- Decorate the Cake: Decorate the top with meringue kisses, edible snowflakes, and gold leaf as desired to create a festive and elegant presentation.
Notes
- Use cake tins instead of sandwich tins—the higher sides provide better structure for the wet batter.
- You can prepare the sponges a day or two in advance; wrap them tightly to retain freshness.
- The cake layers can be frozen for up to two months before assembling.
- Ensure the melted chocolate and butter mixture is cool before folding into the batter to avoid cooking the eggs.
- For a no-meringue decoration option, fresh cranberries and orange zest also add a festive touch.
- This cake keeps well in the fridge for up to three days after icing.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: white chocolate Christmas cake, orange cranberry cake, festive cake, holiday dessert, cream cheese frosting, layered cake
