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Cranberry Orange Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 104 reviews

This Cranberry Orange Cake is a moist and flavorful layered cake perfect for festive occasions or a special dessert. It features bright orange zest and juice infused throughout a tender cake, complemented by a sweet and tangy homemade cranberry filling and a creamy orange-infused cream cheese frosting. The recipe involves baking four cake layers, preparing a fresh cranberry sauce filling, and assembling with a luscious frosting for a show-stopping dessert that balances citrus and berry flavors beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup neutral cooking oil (avocado, canola, or vegetable oil)
  • 1 Tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature preferred
  • 6 large egg whites, room temperature preferred
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar (for egg whites)

Cranberry Filling

  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed

Frosting

  • 8 oz brick-style cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup salted butter, softened
  • 2 Tablespoons orange zest
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour four 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Make Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl (or your stand mixer with a paddle attachment), beat the softened butter until light and creamy. Add 2 cups of granulated sugar, the neutral oil, and 1 tablespoon of orange zest; beat until well combined. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Combine Batter and Dry Ingredients: Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add the flour in four parts and the buttermilk in three, stirring until just combined after each addition.
  5. Whip Egg Whites: Pour the six egg whites into a completely clean, dry, and grease-free mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, start beating on low speed until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high and continue until stiff peaks form—opaque, thick, and holding their shape.
  6. Fold Egg Whites into Batter: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter with a spatula until fully combined but not overmixed, ensuring no streaks remain.
  7. Bake Cake Layers: Evenly divide the batter into the prepared pans. Bake two pans at a time in the preheated oven for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert onto cooling racks to cool completely.
  8. Prepare Cranberry Filling: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ cup orange juice, and ¼ cup water. Stir occasionally until sugar dissolves.
  9. Cook Cranberries: Add 2 cups rinsed cranberries to the sugar mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until berries burst and mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency (about 7-10 minutes). Remove from heat.
  10. Blend Filling: Using an immersion blender, blend the cranberry mixture until smooth. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl and refrigerate to cool.
  11. Make Frosting: In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, softened salted butter, and 2 tablespoons orange zest until smooth and creamy.
  12. Add Sugar to Frosting: Gradually add powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, mixing well and scraping the bowl’s sides to incorporate all sugar.
  13. Finish Frosting: Stir in 1 tablespoon orange juice followed by ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.
  14. Assemble Cake: After cakes and filling have completely cooled, level the cakes if needed. Place the first cake layer on a cake platter. Fill a piping bag fitted with an open tip (such as 1A) with frosting and pipe a dam around the inside edge of the layer to contain the filling.
  15. Add Filling: Spoon one-third of the cranberry filling inside the frosting dam and spread evenly. Repeat for the next two layers, layering cake and filling, finishing with the fourth cake layer on top.
  16. Frost Cake: Apply remaining frosting over the top and sides of the assembled cake, creating a semi-naked effect if desired. Decorate with sugared cranberries if you like.
  17. Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving to allow the frosting to set and flavors to meld.

Notes

  • Ensure egg whites are beaten in a clean, grease-free bowl for best volume.
  • The cranberry filling will thicken further upon cooling; adjust simmer time if a thicker or thinner consistency is preferred.
  • Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and texture.
  • Level cake layers for a professional-looking assembled cake.
  • Chilling the cake before serving helps the frosting set and makes slicing cleaner.
  • Sugared cranberries make a festive and decorative topping.

Keywords: cranberry orange cake, layered cake, cranberry filling, orange zest cake, cream cheese frosting, holiday dessert, festive cake

Find it online: https://recipeswithmia.com/cranberry-orange-layer-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/