Last updated on May 12th, 2021 at 08:25 pm
This easy cranberry layer cake uses up fresh cranberries leftover from Thanksgiving to make a sweet treat to go with afternoon coffee.
Cranberry layer cake is a seasonal cake that I only make in the winter, but crave all year long.
In case you haven’t noticed, fresh cranberries aren’t available much of the year. The produce section at the grocery store overflows with bags of fresh cranberries from mid-November to mid-December and by December 26th, cranberries are nowhere to be found for another ten months. For the last few years, I’ve made a point to buy extra so I can enjoy these tart berries long after the Christmas tree comes down.
Now that it’s January, cranberries aren’t being reserved for a Thanksgiving sauce and I can play with them in the kitchen. This particular recipe makes three small cakes enough for four people either for an after-dinner dessert or to go with an afternoon coffee. For a layer cake, it’s super easy and it doesn’t make an overwhelming amount of dessert.
Cranberry Filling
This particular recipe uses my grandmother’s cranberry salad recipe. I know that sounds super weird, but by salad, I mean cranberries mixed with sugar, whipped cream, walnuts and grapes. It’s more of a dessert than a salad, but it was a staple on our Thanksgiving table growing up.
I left off the grapes to make an easy-to-eat filling for cake. It is very sweet, but the mild cake balances it out.
Cake
I like making this cake because it kind of feels like cheating. I use a ¼ sheet pan (9”x13”) to make a thin layer. It’s then cut it into thirds and then I cut them again in halves. With those, I have the makings of three small layer cakes. Tea anyone?
Cranberry Layer Cake 🍰
Ingredients
Cranberry Filling
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped, toasted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Cake
- 8 TB butter unsalted, cubed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
Instructions
Cranberry Filling
- In the bowl of a food processor, mince fresh cranberries
- Combine cranberries and sugar. Mix well. Transfer to a mesh strainer over a bowl and let drain overnight. Reserve the syrup.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the heavy with the whip attachment on low for 30 seconds. Gradually increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form.
- Mix the drained cranberries with the toasted walnuts.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cranberry mixtures.
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Prepare a 1/4 sheet pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper and spray the top of the paper as well.
- In the bowl of at stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder. With the paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredient on low until combined.
- Add butter cubes, one at a time.
- Continue mixing until the mixture is well-combined and crumbly.
- Continuing to mix, add eggs one at a time until they're all just combined.
- Bake for about 15 minutes. Test to see if it's done by sticking a toothpick in the cake—if it comes out clean, it's done.
- Set aside to cool completely.
Assembly
- Cut the cake into thirds so you have three rectabgular cakes. Cut the three cakes in half. You'll then have six cakes that will be three square layer cakes.
- Divide the cranberry mixture into 6 even portions.
- Spread one portion on a cake layer. Top that with another cake and spread another portion of cranberry mixture on top. Repeat for the other two cakes. Serve.