Orange Cranberry Christmas Cake
Merry Christmas!
I've been a complete slacker and have missed 2 years in posting, although I've been very busy inventing during that time and just haven't taken time to post any of my recipes.
So, I thought I'd give you a special Christmas present by sharing my most recent invention...an Orange Cranberry Christmas Cake...super yummy!!
Orange Cranberry Christmas Cake recipe
To make the cake:
Make a GF yellow cake mix according to box directions, but add 2 tsp of vanilla and 1 more egg to the batter. I used a Pillsbury mix this time and it turned out quite nicely, especially since it makes more batter than some of the other brands.
Divide the batter in half and color each half with food coloring--green and red. Be careful with the red food coloring because if you add too much, it will leave a bitter taste in the cake. (This picture doesn't do true justice to the lovely layer colors). Place in greased 8" baking pans, either round or square.
Bake as directed; allow several hours to cool completely.
Slice each layer in half, resulting in 4 layers total.
Make the cranberry compote:
In a saucepan, place 1 bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of orange juice, and 2 tsp cinnamon. Bring to a boil; allow to cook at a simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the cranberries have popped and some of the liquid has cooked away. Place in a bowl and allow to cool completely.
Make the orange filling:
In a mixing bowl, beat 2 8-oz containers of mascarpone cheese, 1 scant tsp of orange extract, the juice of 1 orange, and the zest of 2 oranges until completely blended. Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Make the white chocolate ganache:
In a small saucepan, heat 1/3 cup heavy cream just to boiling. Add 6-8 oz of white chocolate chips and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Stir until all is melted and smooth. Allow to cool to a consistency that allows you to glaze the top of the cake without it all running off the sides. You want a nice drip, not a full-on gusher down the sides.
To assemble cake:
Place a green layer on your cake plate. Using 1/3 of the orange filling, "frost" the layer, leaving a 2-3" circle empty in the middle of the filling. Fill this circle with cranberry compote.
Place a red layer on next and repeat, layering until you end with a red layer on the top. Make sure the cake is all squared up and the layers are completely clean on the sides, as this is mostly a naked cake. Apply the ganache and allow it to set. To decorate: drain and dry 10-12 mandarin orange slices. Arrange them in a circle on the top of the cake and spoon in a large spoon of the cranberry compote.
To cut the cake:
If you make it square like I did, it's necessary to cut the cake diagonally down the middle to expose the cranberry compote. Then, cut in wedges like you would a round cake or a pie.
I served this cake today following our church service. I was a little nervous about it, but everyone seemed to quite enjoy it and felt that the flavors blended perfectly! It is definitely a Christmas cake--my husband says that it's a "neo-fruitcake", which he meant as a compliment and hopefully will not scare you off if you have bad feelings toward fruitcakes...LOL!
2019 is right around the corner and I'm going to work at meeting my blogging goals, I promise! I hope you have the merriest of Christmases....
I've been a complete slacker and have missed 2 years in posting, although I've been very busy inventing during that time and just haven't taken time to post any of my recipes.
So, I thought I'd give you a special Christmas present by sharing my most recent invention...an Orange Cranberry Christmas Cake...super yummy!!
Orange Cranberry Christmas Cake recipe
To make the cake:
Make a GF yellow cake mix according to box directions, but add 2 tsp of vanilla and 1 more egg to the batter. I used a Pillsbury mix this time and it turned out quite nicely, especially since it makes more batter than some of the other brands.
Divide the batter in half and color each half with food coloring--green and red. Be careful with the red food coloring because if you add too much, it will leave a bitter taste in the cake. (This picture doesn't do true justice to the lovely layer colors). Place in greased 8" baking pans, either round or square.
Bake as directed; allow several hours to cool completely.
Slice each layer in half, resulting in 4 layers total.
Make the cranberry compote:
In a saucepan, place 1 bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of orange juice, and 2 tsp cinnamon. Bring to a boil; allow to cook at a simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the cranberries have popped and some of the liquid has cooked away. Place in a bowl and allow to cool completely.
Make the orange filling:
In a mixing bowl, beat 2 8-oz containers of mascarpone cheese, 1 scant tsp of orange extract, the juice of 1 orange, and the zest of 2 oranges until completely blended. Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Make the white chocolate ganache:
In a small saucepan, heat 1/3 cup heavy cream just to boiling. Add 6-8 oz of white chocolate chips and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Stir until all is melted and smooth. Allow to cool to a consistency that allows you to glaze the top of the cake without it all running off the sides. You want a nice drip, not a full-on gusher down the sides.
To assemble cake:
Place a green layer on your cake plate. Using 1/3 of the orange filling, "frost" the layer, leaving a 2-3" circle empty in the middle of the filling. Fill this circle with cranberry compote.
Place a red layer on next and repeat, layering until you end with a red layer on the top. Make sure the cake is all squared up and the layers are completely clean on the sides, as this is mostly a naked cake. Apply the ganache and allow it to set. To decorate: drain and dry 10-12 mandarin orange slices. Arrange them in a circle on the top of the cake and spoon in a large spoon of the cranberry compote.
To cut the cake:
If you make it square like I did, it's necessary to cut the cake diagonally down the middle to expose the cranberry compote. Then, cut in wedges like you would a round cake or a pie.
I served this cake today following our church service. I was a little nervous about it, but everyone seemed to quite enjoy it and felt that the flavors blended perfectly! It is definitely a Christmas cake--my husband says that it's a "neo-fruitcake", which he meant as a compliment and hopefully will not scare you off if you have bad feelings toward fruitcakes...LOL!
2019 is right around the corner and I'm going to work at meeting my blogging goals, I promise! I hope you have the merriest of Christmases....
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