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Featuring three layers of chocolate espresso cake, creamy mascarpone buttercream frosting, and a sweet cranberry filling, this Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Cake is a total showstopper! The perfect holiday dessert to wow your guests this year!
Cranberry Christmas Cake
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And with Christmas just 19 days away (!!!), it’s time for us to get our holiday dessert game plan ready and set! So I’ve teamed up with my friends at DeLallo to bring you this STUNNING triple layer chocolate espresso cake!
The cake itself is oh-so-moist and loaded with chocolate flavor thanks to plenty of cocoa powder and a hearty dose of espresso powder! The espresso really enhances the chocolate flavor, without adding an overwhelming coffee flavor, so don’t skip it!
But the cake is just the beginning! Because this dessert also features a not-too- sweet ULTRA CREAMY mascarpone frosting and a stunning cranberry filling! The cranberry filling is sweet, tart, and just scream Christmas!
And to top it all off, we add sugared cranberries and rosemary, which make this cake look like it’s from a super fancy bakery!
Trust me, this cake will make a memorable holiday dessert, and double as a conversation piece! I actually made this for a small holiday party last weekend, and I STILL have friends texting me to rave over how good it was. So be ready to hand out this recipe to family and friends. The requests will come rolling in!
Beautiful, delicious, and big enough to serve a crowd, this cake ticks all of the boxes! So bake one up, invite some loved ones over, and get ready for the complaints to start rolling in! Just be sure to save yourself a slice, because once this cake gets cut… it disappears FAST!
Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Cake
Featuring three layers of chocolate espresso cake, creamy mascarpone buttercream frosting, and a sweet cranberry filling, this Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Cake is a total showstopper! The perfect holiday dessert to wow your guests this year!
Ingredients
For the Espresso Chocolate Cake:
- 1 and 1/2 cups (298 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups (319 grams) light brown sugar packed
- 2 and 1/2 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 and 3/4 cups (149 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1 cup (227 grams) whole milk at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (151 grams) full-fat sour cream at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (149 grams) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons DeLallo espresso powder
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340 grams) freshly boiled water
For the Cranberry Filling:
- 2 Tablespoons (16 grams) cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoons (14 grams) unsweetened cranberry juice
- 3 cups (298 grams) cranberries fresh or frozen, if using frozen do not thaw
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) water
- 1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (21 grams) orange juice
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Mascarpone Frosting:
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 ounces (227 grams) mascarpone cheese at room temperature
- 5 cups (567 grams) confectioner's sugar sifted
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (28 grams) whole milk at room temperature, more if needed
For the Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary:
- 1 and 1/2 cups (299 grams) granulated sugar divided
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) water
- 1 and 1/2 cups (149 grams) cranberries fresh or frozen, if using frozen do not thaw
- 8 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
For the Espresso Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°(F). Cut out three 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick cooking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. It's important to make sure every bit of pan and paper are sprayed so your cakes don't get stuck. Set pans aside.
- In a large bowl, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk until ingredients are thoroughly combined, breaking up any large chunks of brown sugar or cocoa powder with your hands or a whisk.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract, mix until completely combined.
- Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and, using a rubber spatula, mix until evenly combined. Don’t over mix here.
- In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the espresso powder and hot water. Allow the mixture to sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until the two ingredients are evenly combined. Fold into the cake batter, mixing until the batter is evenly combined; about 30 seconds. The batter will be quite thin.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared the three prepared pans (approximately 725 grams of cake batter per pan).
- Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 27 to 30 minutes (check at 27), or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pan before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack. Cool cakes completely before frosting.
For the Cranberry Filling:
- In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and cranberry juice, whisk well until completely combined. Set aside until needed.
- In a medium-saucepan, combine the cranberries, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-heat, stirring occasionally, and cook until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking until the cranberries soften and some have begun to burst, about 5 more minutes.
- Pour in the cornstarch slurry, and mix well to combine. Continue cooking, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until the mixture has thickened, about 4 to 5 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the orange juice and vanilla extract.
- Scrape into a bowl and cool completely before using.
For the Mascarpone Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and mascarpone cheese on medium-speed, until smooth and creamy, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar, beating each addition well before adding the next. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat in the salt, vanilla, and milk.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. If the frosting appears too stiff to spread, add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until desired texture is achieved.
For the Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary:
- In a medium-saucepan, combine 1⁄2 cup of the granulated sugar and the water. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Add in the cranberries and bring mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries and transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
- Add the rosemary into sugar syrup and cook for 1 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to the wire cooling rack.
- Allow cranberries and rosemary to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, or until still slightly tacky to the touch.
- Add remaining granulated sugar to a wide, shallow bowl. Add a few cranberries at a time, and roll them in the sugar until they’re completely coated on all sides. Transfer the cranberries back to the wire rack. Repeat with all the cranberries and rosemary sprigs.
- Leave to dry at room temperature for 2 hours before using.
Assembly:
- Using a long serrated knife, carefully trim the raised top of each cake, making each one an even, level surface. This will only be a thin layer, as the cakes don’t rise too much in the oven.
- Carefully transfer 1 layer to a large plate or cake stand. Spread an even layer of frosting on top, aiming for it to be 1⁄4” in thickness, then top with half of the cranberry filling. Top with another cake layer, and repeat, adding the same ratio of frosting and cranberry filling.
- Top with the final cake layer, then use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Aim for a 1⁄4” thickness of frosting on top, then spread whatever is left around the edges. This is a semi-naked cake, so don’t be alarmed if the sides aren’t totally covered with frosting.
- Decorate the cake with sugared cranberries and rosemary. Allow cake to set at room temperature for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Tried it and loved it?Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @Bakerbynature and by using the hashtag #BakerByNature
Can the cake be made ahead & frozen?
Amazingly delicious!!
I mad it for Christmas and it was so delicious and so aesthetically pleasing!!! Definitely keeping the recipe and will do it again!!
This cake was delicious! And the presentation was awesome! Everyone was in awe when I opened the cake tin! It was a hit Christmas Eve at a family gathering.
I cannot find mascarpone cheese anywhere near me. Is there a substitute for this
Question: Can I make a day or two ahead and put in the refrigerator? With or without the sugared rosemary and cranberries?
Not yet rating but I have been seeing this cake in my dreams!
Please can you tell me how much I can do in advance and freeze or can the completed cake be frozen? I love the sound of this.
Many thanks
Clare
Can’t wait to make this! I just wrote myself a shopping list for the ingredients.
Shopping List:
Granulated Sugar 4 cups
Light Brown Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Confectionery Sugar 5 cups
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 1 3/4 cups
Baking Soda 2 tsps
Baking Powder 1tsp
Salt 1 3/4 tsp
Eggs (5)
Whole Milk 1 cup plus 2 tbsp
Full-Fat Sour Cream 2/3 cup
Vegetable Oil 3/4 cup
Vanilla Extract 4 1/2 tsps
DeLallo Espresso Powder 2 1/2 tsps
Cornstarch 2 tbsps
Fresh Cranberries 4 1/2 cups
Unsweetened Cranberry Juice 1 tbsp
Orange Juice 1 1/2 tbsp
Fresh Rosemary 8 sprigs
Unsalted Butter 1 1/2 cups
Mascarpone Cheese 8 ounces