Description
A moist white cake layered with sweet-tart cranberry sauce and covered in a creamy cooked flour frosting, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup 240mL water (Cranberry Sauce)
- 1 cup 200g granulated sugar (Cranberry Sauce)
- 4 cups whole cranberries fresh or frozen (Cranberry Sauce)
- 2 ¾ cups 360g cake flour (White Cake)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (White Cake)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (White Cake)
- 1 teaspoon salt (White Cake)
- 6 tablespoons 90g unsalted butter, softened (White Cake)
- ½ cup 120mL vegetable oil (White Cake)
- 1 ¾ cups 350g granulated sugar (White Cake)
- 5 large egg whites at room temperature (White Cake)
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (White Cake)
- ½ cup 120g full-fat sour cream, at room temperature (White Cake)
- ½ cup 120mL whole milk, at room temperature (White Cake)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (White Cake)
- 2 cups 400g granulated sugar (Cooked Flour Frosting)
- ⅔ cup 82g all-purpose flour (Cooked Flour Frosting)
- ½ teaspoon salt (Cooked Flour Frosting)
- 2 cups 480mL whole milk (Cooked Flour Frosting)
- 2 cups 450g unsalted butter, softened (Cooked Flour Frosting)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Cooked Flour Frosting)
Instructions
- Make the Cranberry Sauce: Combine water and sugar; heat until dissolved. Add cranberries and cook until burst and thickened, 8 to 20 minutes. Cool completely and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F for the cake layers. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar until light. Beat in the egg whites, sour cream, and clear vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients mixture with the milk and vinegar mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between two prepared 8-inch cake pans. Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the layers completely.
- Make the Frosting Base: Whisk the sugar, flour, and salt in a pot. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture boils and thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Pour the cooked base into a bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap, and cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Make the Frosting: Cream the softened butter until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat the cooled milk base into the butter, adding 2 tablespoons at a time, until the frosting is light and fluffy. Beat in the pure vanilla extract.
- Assemble the Cake: Slice each cake layer in half horizontally to create four layers total. Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting, followed by a thin layer of cranberry sauce, leaving a half-inch border around the edge. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake and chill for 30 minutes. Finish frosting the cake and chill for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For the best cake texture, ensure your egg whites, sour cream, and milk are at room temperature before mixing the batter.
- When cooling the frosting base, pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface prevents a skin from forming.
- Use clear vanilla extract to maintain the pure white color of the cake and frosting.
- Prep Time: 45 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 75g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: Cranberry White Christmas Cake, Christmas Cake, White Cake Recipe, Cranberry Sauce, Cooked Flour Frosting, Holiday Cake, Layer Cake, Christmas Dessert