Winter Wonderland – orange and white chocolate cake with cranberry Swiss meringue buttercream
User Reviews
5
Winter Wonderland – orange and white chocolate cake with cranberry Swiss meringue buttercream
Description
This cake begins with a batter made by combining dry ingredients, cold cubed butter, eggs with orange zest, milk, juice, vanilla, and finely grated white chocolate. The butter is cut into the flour mixture until breadcrumb-like, then wet ingredients and grated white chocolate are incorporated. The batter is divided into multiple cake tins and baked to produce moist, tender layers with a gentle citrus and white chocolate flavor.
The cranberry components include a compote of frozen cranberries cooked with sugar and water, and a Swiss meringue buttercream made from egg whites, sugar, butter, and optional coloring, blended with the compote or syrup. The buttercream provides smooth, light sweetness balanced by the tartness of cranberry.
The cake layers are assembled with buttercream between them and frosted overall, with a decorative white chocolate and cream drip enhancing the look. This dessert is festive and offers multiple flavor layers: creamy, citrus, sweet white chocolate, and berry tartness.
The cake can be made a couple of days ahead; sponges can be wrapped and stored at room temperature, while buttercream should be refrigerated and whipped again before use. The cranberry compote may be omitted if preferred to rely solely on buttercream for filling. For decoration, reserve some grated white chocolate to sprinkle on top.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 350 g all-purpose flour
- 330 g sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 200 g butter unsalted, cold, cubed, 7oz / 3/4 cup + 1 heaped tbsp
- 3 egg lightly beaten, large
- 2 orange zest only
- 200 ml whole milk 7fl oz, 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp orange juice or lemon juice, fresh
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 g white chocolate finely grated
For the cranberry compote /syrup
- 200 g Cranberry frozen
- 200 g sugar
- 240 ml water
For the cranberry buttercream
- 5 egg large, whites
- 250 g sugar 1 1/4 cup
- 450 g unsalted butter 2 cups, 4 sticks, at room temperature
- food colouring optional, pink
For the drip
- 120 g white candy melts
- 60 ml heavy cream
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Spray three 15cm (6in) 20cm with cake release, lining the bottoms with baking paper. You can also use three (8in) cake tins – the cake won't be as tall.
- Add all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder/soda and salt) to the bowl of a food processor or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse briefly to mix together.
- Add the cubed butter and pulse/mix again until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Mix the eggs and orange zest together. Gradually add the eggs and process for a minute until well incorporated.
- Gradually add the milk mix together for two minutes until the batter is smooth and evenly mixed. Stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl – especially if using a stand mixer.
- Reserve two tablespoons of grated chocolate for decoration. Fold in the rest into the batter, divide between the cake tins and bake for 30 minutes. If using larger tins check after 25 minutes. Cool before frosting.
Make the cranberry buttercream
- Bring water, sugar and cranberries to a boil then simmer until reduced - about 20 minutes. Strain the cranberries and reserve the juice and pulp. Cool before adding to the buttercream.
- Put the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and stir with a balloon whisk to combine.
- Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Keep whisking until the mixture reaches 70C (160F) on your Thermapen. The mixture will take a little while to come to temperature so keep a watchful eye, you don’t want to scramble the egg whites!
- Fit the mixing bowl onto the mixer and beat with the whisk attachment at high speed for about 10 minutes, until you have peaks and the bowl has cooled down.
- Start adding the butter, one big chunk at a time, waiting until each has been mixed in before adding another.
- Once the butter is incorporated, add the reserved cranberry syrup, turn speed to medium-high and beat until the buttercream is smooth and forms peaks. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
Assemble the cake
- Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of the bottom cake layer. Spread the reserved cranberries inside the ring, pipe more buttercream on top of the jam and smooth.
- Top with the second layer and repeat the process.
- Pipe or smooth a thin layer of buttercream (crumb coating) over the entire cake. Use a palette knife to smooth the top of the cake letting the buttercream spread over the edges.
- Use a side scraper to smooth the buttercream on the side of the cake – using a turntable will make this easier.
- Chill the cake for 30 minutes before applying a second layer of buttercream to cover the cake. Repeat the process to smooth the buttercream for a clean finish.
- Drizzle the white chocolate around the perimeter of the cake, letting it drip down the side.
- Tint any extra buttercream with a little pink food colouring (if you like) and pipe on top of the cake.
- Decorate with marbled cookies, meringue kisses, candy canes, sprinkles and a little of the grated white chocolate.
Notes
- Grate white chocolate finely using a food processor or power blender for smooth incorporation in the cake batter.
- Do not substitute white chocolate with candy melts in the cake; however, candy melts can be omitted if desired.
- You may bake the cake sponge up to two days in advance; well wrapped at room temperature maintains freshness.
- Make the buttercream ahead and store it in the fridge; rewhip at room temperature before frosting as the butter hardens when cold.
- The assembled cake keeps in the fridge for several days; bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor.
- Omitting the cranberry compote is possible if you prefer using only cranberry buttercream as filling.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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