Cranberry Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

This Cranberry Cake Recipe with White Chocolate Buttercream is so quick and easy to whip up! I actually chose this as my Christmas Day dessert as I really wanted something easy to whip up the day before but wasn’t super Christmassy. The week leading up I absolutely gorged myself on mince pies (recipe here) and various Christmas biscuits (recipe here) so I wanted something that wasn’t the usual dried fruit and/or spices. And I think this super moist, fluffy cake studded with tart cranberries and white chocolate chunks covered in a smooth white chocolate buttercream really ticked all the boxes!

How do I make the Cranberry Cake?

This Cranberry cake with White Chocolate Buttercream recipe is an all in one method for the cake, you throw all ingredients minus the cranberries and white chocolate chunks and mix thoroughly until combined and fluffy. Next, you fold in the cranberries (fresh or frozen!) and white chocolate chunks and bake off. The cake itself will keep fresh for 3-5 days and you can extend the shelf life by freezing (just the cake) for up to 3 months.

The most important thing to consider with this recipe is ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature. If you store your eggs in the fridge, leave them at room temperature for an hour before using. Ensure your butter is at room temperature or slightly softened or you’ll have lumps of butter in the batter which will effect the texture and rise. You can pop your butter into the microwave on defrost setting for 5-10 second bursts until the right consistency is reached. Your butter should be soft but still hold it’s shape, not melted.

How do I make the White Chocolate Buttercream?

This White Chocolate Buttercream took me quite a few goes to land on a recipe I was truly happy with. I tried out the white chocolate frosting recipe from Chelsweets. It was nice but just a little too sweet for me and the white chocolate wasn’t particularly strong. I did however, love the tip of melting the white chocolate with the cream to prevent the melted chocolate from seizing once it’s mixed in. I then tried out Charlotte’s lively kitchen White Chocolate Buttercream recipe. This recipe was a bit more like what I was looking for, but the white chocolate seized a little and became lumpy. I also felt like it needed just a touch more sugar.

And so I mashed what I learned from the two recipes together and formed this White Chocolate Buttercream Recipe. I melted my white chocolate with just a touch of cream to keep it smooth and easy to incorporate. As with all buttercream recipes, I always beat my room temperature butter for a few minutes until pale and fluffy. Add in the melted chocolate and cream mix and beat again for another minute. Add in icing sugar and beat for a further 2-3 minutes until thick and smooth. Chill until the cake is cold and ready to ice.

The White Chocolate Buttercream keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container for 5-7 days.