Pomegranate Christmas Cake
User Reviews
4.9
194 reviews
Excellent
Pomegranate Christmas Cake
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Pomegranate Christmas Cake combines fluffy egg-based cake layers with a fruity pomegranate syrup and topping. The cake relies on beaten eggs for rise and light texture, while a pomegranate syrup soaks into layers, enhancing moisture and flavor. The topping includes both pomegranate juice set with gelatin and fresh pomegranate seeds. A creamy frosting made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and pomegranate juice completes the festive cake, delivering a balance of sweetness and tartness.
Description
The Pomegranate Christmas Cake features two fluffy cake layers prepared by whipping eggs and sugar until tripled in volume, serving as the main structural component. The flour and baking powder are gently incorporated to maintain airiness, resulting in a light and golden-brown cake after baking. The syrup made from pomegranate juice and sugar is absorbed by the layers, keeping the cake moist and imparting a vibrant fruitiness.
The cake is topped with a pomegranate gelée made by dissolving gelatin in pomegranate juice with sugar and vanilla, along with fresh pomegranate seeds for texture and visual appeal. The frosting combines softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and additional pomegranate juice, yielding a creamy and tangy complement to the sweetness of the cake layers and topping.
This dessert suits holiday celebrations where a festive and visually appealing cake with a fruity flair is desired. The interplay of textures ranges from airy sponge to smooth frosting, with bursts of juicy seeds enhancing bite.
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Ingredients
Ingredients for the Cake:Ingredients for the Cake Layers:
- 6 egg room temp (if cold, put them in warm water 15 min, large
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour unbleached
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients for Pomegranate Topping:
- 6 oz pomegranate juice 3/4 cup, Pom Wonderful
- 2 tsp gelatin powder I used Knox brand, unflavored
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- pomegranate seeds 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups, of one large pomegranate
Ingredients for syrup:
- 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice POM brand
- 2 Tbsp sugar
Ingredients For the Pomegranate Cream Frosting:
- 2 unsalted butter softened to room temp, sticks (units not specified
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt fine sea salt
- 16 oz cream cheese (2 blocks) softened at room temp and cut into 16 pieces
- 4 Tbsp pomegranate juice POM brand
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line the bottoms of two 9" cake pans with parchment paper.
- Combine 6 eggs and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer and beat on high speed for 12 minutes or until tripled in volume and fluffy. Whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder then sift it into the beaten eggs in 2 additions, folding it in with a spatula just until all of the flour is incorporated. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and blend together. Remember that you are relying on the fluffy air-infused batter for the cake to rise. DO NOT OVERMIX or your cake won't rise well. Transfer your batter to your lined cake pans. Set aside.
- Bake at 350˚F for 25-28 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean (poke the side, not the center so your center won't cave) and don't open the oven until 25 minutes have past. Let the cakes cool down on wire racks, then remove from the pans.
Making the Syrup for the soaking the cake Layers:
- Combine 1 1/2 cups Pomegranate Juice (POM brand) with 2 Tbsp sugar and stir to combine. Set aside to and stir occasionally until sugar is all dissolved.
Making the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the 2 sticks of butter with 3 cups powdered sugar and salt on low speed or until combined (1 min). Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy (2 min).
- Add cream cheese 1-piece at a time and mix until combined. (I waited maybe 3 seconds in between each piece; it's one after another really. Once all of the cream cheese is incorporated. continue to beat 1 more minute.
- Add 4 Tbsp POM juice, 1 Tbsp at a time and mix until combined (1 min). Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.
Assembling your Cake:
- Cut the cake layers in half so you end up with 4 layers. Place the first layer, cut-side-up on your serving platter. Brush 1/4 of the POM/sugar syrup over the first layer. Frost the top. Do this with all 4 layers. You only need a very small amount of frosting on the very top of the cake since you are going to have the Pomegranate topping.
- Wipe any excess syrup from the cake platter, then frost the sides. I used My large Wilton 1M star tip. You want a border that will contain a generous layer of pomegranate topping. Refrigerate your cake for at least 30 minutes before adding the pomegranate topping.
Pomegranate Topping (make this after your cake is done and in the fridge):
- Place 3/4 cup of POM juice in a small sauce pan, add the 1 tsp vanilla and sprinkle in 2 tsp gelatin, then let stand 1 minute to soften gelatin before putting it on the heat.
- Wisk in 2 Tbsp sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture is steaming.
- Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit (or transfer into a mixing bowl if you don't want to wait) then set the saucepan into a larger bowl of ice water, stirring gently until it is cold and slightly thickened but not set. It doesn't take long so stay with it. Remove from the ice bath.
- Stir in pomegranate seeds and immediately spoon topping onto the chilled cake. Refrigerate your cake until the topping is set (about 1 hour).
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
194 reviews
Excellent
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