Chocolate Cake with Sugared Cranberries

This chocolate cake with sugared cranberries and almond buttercream frosting is perfect for Christmas – or just winter! Not only is it beautiful, but it’s delicious too!

This cake has a few steps, but it’s really worth the effort. The sugared cranberries are a perfect touch and the tartness enhances the sweetness of the frosting.

For the sugared cranberries

• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 2 c cranberries (thawed if you’re using frozen)

For the cake

• 2 c AP flour
• 1/2 c almond flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 3/4 c unsweetened cocoa
• 3 eggs
• 2 c sugar
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 2 t vanilla extract

For the frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 c confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 T vanilla extract
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 1 T milk
• 1 T Amaretto (or can just use 1 more T milk)

To make the sugared cranberries, bring 3/4 c sugar and 3/4 c water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes). Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar mixture over them and let them sit for one hour. Whisk the rest of the sugar and cardamom together in a large bowl.

Drain the cranberries and toss them in the sugar/cardamom mixture to thoroughly coat. Spread the cranberries and sugar out on a baking sheet and let them sit and dry for 2 hours, occasionally tossing them around in the sugar more.

For the cake, preheat the oven to 325. Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside. Put the cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Heat 1 c of water in a small saucepan until just before boiling. Pour over the cocoa and whisk until smooth. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat on medium high speed with a hand mixer until combined. Add in the sugar, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium and mix for about a minute.

Divide the mixture into two greased 9 inch round cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes – until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting by beating the butter, confectioner’s sugar and salt just until combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat until creamy. Add milk and amaretto and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.

Place one layer of the cooled cake onto serving dish and spread the top with frosting. Sprinkle with half the sugared cranberries. Place the second layer of cake on top and frost the tops and sides. Garnish the top of the cake with the rest of the cranberries.

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Chocolate Cake with Sugared Cranberries

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Ingredients

• For the sugared cranberries
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 2 c cranberries (thawed if you're using frozen)
• For the cake
• 2 c AP flour
• 1/2 c almond flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 3/4 c unsweetened cocoa
• 3 eggs
• 2 c sugar
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 2 t vanilla extract
• For the frosting
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 c confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 T vanilla extract
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 1 T milk
• 1 T Amaretto (or can just use 1 more T milk)

Instructions

1

To make the sugared cranberries, bring 3/4 c sugar and 3/4 c water to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

2

Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes).

3

Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar mixture over them and let them sit for one hour.

4

Whisk the rest of the sugar and cardamom together in a large bowl.

5

Drain the cranberries and toss them in the sugar/cardamom mixture to thoroughly coat.

6

Spread the cranberries and sugar out on a baking sheet and let them sit and dry for 2 hours, occasionally tossing them around in the sugar more.

7

For the cake, preheat the oven to 325. Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside.

8

Put the cocoa powder in a separate bowl.

9

Heat 1 c of water in a small saucepan until just before boiling.

10

Pour over the cocoa and whisk until smooth.

11

Let cool for about 10 minutes.

12

Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat on medium high speed with a hand mixer until combined.

13

Add in the sugar, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat until combined.

14

Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture.

15

Increase the speed to medium and mix for about a minute.

16

Divide the mixture into two greased 9 inch round cake pans.

17

Bake for 30-35 minutes - until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

18

Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

19

Make the frosting by beating the butter, confectioner's sugar and salt just until combined.

20

Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat until creamy.

21

Add milk and amaretto and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.

22

Place one layer of the cooled cake onto serving dish and spread the top with frosting.

23

Sprinkle with half the sugared cranberries.

24

Place the second layer of cake on top and frost the tops and sides.

25

Garnish the top of the cake with the rest of the cranberries.