Description
Cranberry almond layer cake is perfect for the holidays! A soft almond cake topped with whipped cranberry frosting and sugared cranberries.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour (see note below)
- 1 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 Tbsp fresh orange zest
- 1 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature
Sugared Cranberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup sugar, for rolling
Whipped Cranberry Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 oz full fat cream cheese, at cool room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup cranberry-cherry preserves
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream
Filling
- 1/3 cup cranberry-cherry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper.
- Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy; beat in orange zest and extracts. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Combine buttermilk and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
- Divide batter evenly between cake pans and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap pans sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake cake layers for 24 to 25 minutes, until the top and edges are golden, cakes spring back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool cakes for 15 minutes in pans on a wire rack before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.
- For the sugared cranberries, combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add fresh cranberries to the saucepan and coat completely in the simple syrup. Transfer cranberries to a wire rack and let dry for 1 hour, then roll in sugar to coat.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to the wire rack. Separate the cranberries into a single layer, spaced 1-inch apart. Let dry for 1 hour, then roll the cranberries in sugar to coat. Transfer to a clean baking sheet and let dry for 1 hour before using.
- For the cranberry frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, and salt in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until combined. Beat in almond extract. Mix in powdered sugar on low speed 1 cup at a time until incorporated, scraping down bowl as needed. Gradually mix in cranberry-cherry preserves until combined. Mix in heavy cream and beat frosting for 1 minute, until light and airy. If frosting is too soft to use immediately, chill for 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator before using.
- To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a rotating cake stand and use an offset spatula to swirl frosting over the cake. Pipe a ring of frosting around the outer edge of the cake layer and chill the layer for 10 minutes.
- Warm cranberry-cherry preserves for 10 seconds in the microwave and stir to loosen. Fill the center of the cake layer with preserves. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the second cake layer, and place the layer (frosting side down) over the cranberry layer. Chill the stacked cake for 20 minutes.
- Use offset spatula to apply a layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake while you rotate the cake stand, then use a bench scraper to gently smooth the edges of the cake and remove any excess frosting. Chill the frosted cake for 30 minutes before serving topped with sugared cranberries.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Cranberry-Cherry Preserves – I used Bonne Maman Cranberry-Cherry Preserves in the frosting and filling. You can also use Cherry Preserves or homemade cranberry preserves/jam.
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Keywords: Cranberry, Almond, Layer Cake, Holiday Cake