Cranberries are good for you all year long, but they seem to stand out more for our winter holiday meals. Try out this tasty treat for your Christmas celebrations.
Cranberry Cointreau Christmas Cake
Makes 16 servings
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for flouring the pan
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice and 2 ½ tablespoons orange zest (from two fresh oranges, pith discarded)
2 tablespoons Cointreau or orange liqueur
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
Nonstick cooking spray
Confectioner’s sugar and sweetened dried cranberries, for garnish
Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cranberry juice (optional)
1 – 2 tablespoons half and half or cream
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350º F. Lightly grease and flour a Bundt pan or fluted cake pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the orange zest and juice, Cointreau and eggs and whisk until smooth; set aside. In a small bowl, toss the fresh cranberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Combine the granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and remaining flour and in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Add the dry mixture to the butter in cup-size additions, mixing until a pea-sized texture. Turn the speed to medium and slowly stream in the egg/orange mixture until combined.
Increase the speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the fresh cranberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out until level.
Bake on the center rack in the oven for about 55 – 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean. Set the pan on a baking rack and allow to cool in the pan for 20 – 30 minutes, then loosen the cake from the pan with a butter knife or small spatula, taking care not to break the crust, and invert onto a serving platter or cake plate.
Once fully cooled to room temperature, combine the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk vigorously to remove any lumps, adding additional cream as necessary to achieve a creamy but thick consistency. Using a small sifter, garnish the cake with powdered sugar. Top with drizzled glaze and dot with sweetened dried cranberries.
Cake keeps fresh for up to three days in a tightly sealed container or tin.
Recipe and image by Michelle McGrath, McGrath PR | Media Relations, mcgrathpr.com, on behalf of Massachusetts Cranberries, one of the oldest farmers’ organizations in the U.S., established as Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association in 1888.
