Fluffy white chocolate cake filled with white chocolate buttercream and fresh cranberry orange compote. It’s a perfectly Christmas cake made even more festive with a piped buttercream wreath and candied cranberries!

What do you do when you have leftover cranberry compote from making thumbprints? You could make more thumbprints. Thumbprints are always a good idea. Or you could make cake!

I chose cake.

I think it’s only fitting that I make a somewhat infused milk cake right at the end of 2020. Infused milk recipes were one of my baking goals for the year and I made exactly two things with it: chocolate orange sauce and lemon cake.

So obviously I’ve met my goal by melting white chocolate into milk, right? Yeah, I didn’t think so. But I’m really happy with how this cake turned out! I used my brown sugar spice cake and eggnog latte cake as the base recipe then worked from there. I figured since my eggnog latte cake is having a hot moment in the spotlight over on Instagram, it was a good starting point for creating a new recipe—right?

One key change I made was using some buttermilk to draw out the tang of the white chocolate, and I’m a fan.

Although, fun fact: I didn’t actually purchase buttermilk. I just split my milk in half and mixed 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar into one half to let it turn into buttermilk as it came to room temperature. I mean, I have a toddler so we always have whole milk around. So why buy buttermilk? I actually think I get a better taste and texture when I make my own.

I hope you like this cake! It’s a fun alternative to to my very favorite Christmas cake, especially for those who don’t like chocolate (since white chocolate isn’t technically chocolate, but don’t get me started on that one).

How to make white chocolate cranberry cake

First, make the cranberry orange compote either a day or two ahead or while the cake ingredients come to room temperature. Cook it to the thicker, compote consistency, per directions here. Optionally, you can make the frosting ahead of time, as well (see note).

When ready to make the cake layers, first melt the white chocolate and 1/2 cup milk as you let the butter, eggs, and buttermilk come to room temperature.

Sift your flour, salt, and baking powder together then whisk until combined (I just do about 30 seconds since I can’t gauge it by colors mixing). Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on hight until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bowl at least once while you do this.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on high until fully combined and fluffy once more, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the vanilla and beat on high for just a few seconds until combined.

Add 1/3 of the flour and mix on lowest setting just until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix on low just until combined. It will look separated but don’t worry.

Add another 1/3 of the flour and mix on low again just until combined. Add the white chocolate mix and mix on low until combined. Finally, add the remaining flour and, you guessed it, mix on low just until combined. It should be light and fluffy, but it may look slightly grainy. This is partly based on the brand of white chocolate as well as the sugar. My sugar has larger granules than the average sugar and wound up slightly grainy.

Divide evenly between prepared pans. Bake at 325 until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Check early and often. One of my layers went from having wet batter come out to having no crumbs at all in just 3 minutes!

Let cool in pans 5-10 minutes then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Assemble cake by spreading a thin-ish layer of buttercream on the first layer of cake. Place some frosting in a plastic baggie and snip off a small part of the corner. Use this to pipe a ring around the edge of the layer.

Spread a layer of cranberry orange compote inside this ring. If your compote is on the looser side, place this layer in the fridge for 10 minutes to set that ring of frosting before adding more cake.

Repeat this process until all layers of cake have been added. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake and chill it (called crumb coating). Then follow with desired amount of frosting.

If you want this festive Mickey wreath (or a plain wreath), first use a toothpick or round biscuit or cookie cutters to create your stencil. This way, if you mess up you can just smooth it out and start over.

Reserve a small amount of frosting and mix in green gel food coloring until desired color is reached. Don’t use liquid coloring! It’ll thin out the frosting. Use any fun piping tip and pipe tiny rosettes or even dollops to fill in your stencil. Start small then fill in as you go so you don’t overdo it.

Decorate with festive sprinkles or these adorable candied cranberries in little Mickey Ear groupings—because I’m really leaning into this whole toddler mom thing.

Tips for this recipe

Don’t over mix

I know, I know. The perennial tip about cakes. I tried to be as specific in the directions as I could. Once you start adding the flour, you will make it dense and chewy in a bad way if you over mix your batter. Instead, mix on low just until combined. Depending on the brand of white chocolate you used, it may not be perfectly smooth like boxed cake, but that’s okay. It should be fluffy and mostly smooth. That means it’s been properly mixed and you’re good to go.

Spoon then level your flour

I’ve been doing this for a couple years now and realized it’s a little known baking secret! I thought I was late to the game. If you just dunk your measuring spoon into the bag or jar of flour, you’ll pack it in. It may not seem like it, but it always happens, and it’s important not to have too much flour in a baked good. In fact, it’s why European baking typically calls for weight rather than volume. My bread baking was transformed when I started weighing my flour. While I still just do my desserts by volume (meaning in cups, not grams), I always always always spoon my flour into the measuring cup then level it off with the back of a knife.

Use room temperature ingredients

As the directions say, you melt the white chocolate when you take the cold ingredients out. That way, it all meets in the middle at room temperature (the white chocolate cooling and the rest warming up) at the same time. Room temperature ingredients are simply a must with cakes. Some people see it as a hassle, but it’s just second nature to me. I suppose as a full time teacher with a toddler, I never struggle to find something to do while things warm up or even cool down after baking. If I honestly don’t have anything pressing to do, I will absolutely sit and read a book or watch something that doesn’t have Mickey Mouse in it.

Split up your baking to make it simpler

There are a few components to this cake. Nothing very technical, but there are several times you need to let something cool, plus things like butter and eggs need to come to room temperature. Be sure to plan ahead. I highly suggest melting down your white chocolate when you take out your butter for both the cake and the buttercream (whether you make them ahead or at the same time). I also suggest making things ahead of time. The compote will last for a few weeks in the fridge. The cake and the buttercream can be double wrapped and left at room temperature overnight, in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for 1 month. If chilling the buttercream, let it come to room temperature then whip it up quickly to get it fluffy again.

You can also make the entire cake a day or two ahead of time and keep it refrigerated, but only if frosting fully and not making a naked or semi-naked cake.

You might also like:

White Chocolate Cranberry Orange Thumbprints

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Strawberry Lemonade Cake

Eggnog Latte Cake

Apple Pie Cake

White Chocolate Cranberry Cake

Print

prep time: 40-45 minutes
bake time: 25-30 minutes
total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus about 1 hour, 30 minutes cooling time

Servings: 12-16

Ingredients:

¾ cup whole milk
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, sifted
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted European style butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
half a batch of cranberry orange compote (or make a whole batch and use half in these cookies!)
one batch white chocolate buttercream
optional: candied whole cranberries, green gel food coloring, and sprinkles to decorate

Instructions:

make your cake layers

At least 20 minutes before you make the cake (or up to an hour before, when you take out your cold ingredients), melt the milk and white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Either set over a simmering pot of 1-2” water, turned down to low, or in the microwave at half power in 30 second intervals. Set aside to cool for at least 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid a film forming.
When ready to make the cake and the white chocolate is cooled, preheat oven to 325 and lightly grease and flour two 8” or 9” cake pans (or three 6” pans to make room for more filling). Line with parchment paper.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. See note about measuring the flour. Whisk together for about 30 seconds to distribute the baking powder.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, scraping bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating on high until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Then add the vanilla and beat on high until blended, just a few seconds. Scrape down the bowl again.
Add the flour and milks in 5 alternating additions, starting and ending with flour. So, you add ⅓ of the flour mixture and beat on lowest setting just until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix again on low, just until combined. Add another ⅓ of the flour and blend on low just until combined. Next add the white chocolate mixture and blend on low just until combined. Finally, add the rest of the flour and blend on low just until combined. Scrape the bowl and, if you see large clumps of flour, blend another 2-3 seconds on low. Don’t worry if you see some small streaks of flour.
Divide evenly between your prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes if using larger pans and 20-25 minutes if using 6” pans, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Check early and often because you do want some crumbs coming out when you check it, and it goes from raw batter to overbaked pretty quickly! Let cool in pans 5-10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

make your fillings and frosting

If you didn’t make it ahead, while the cake bakes is an ideal time to make the cranberry orange compote so it can refrigerate for at least an hour to help it set. Make sure to let it thicken to more of a cake filling/jam consistency as you cook.
While the cakes cool is a perfect time to make the frosting, if not made ahead. Be sure not to let the white chocolate solidify after melting it, or it will become chunky when you add it to the butter. See notes in the buttercream recipe for making it true white.

to decorate (optional)

To make the candied cranberries you see in my photos, it’s super easy! Freeze about a cup of clean, fresh cranberries overnight. Bring ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup water to a light simmer over medium low heat (or thereabouts). Once it starts to simmer, turn off the heat and add the frozen cranberries for only 5 minutes. Stir occasionally and watch to ensure none of them pop. If they do, remove from the (turned off) burner immediately. After 5 minutes, remove the cranberries (you can reserve the juice for a holiday drink or cocktail!) to a mesh drying rack. Let cool until they’ve dried slightly but are still sticky (about 10 minute). Roll in a bowl of sugar, separating any that have stuck together. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge.
To make the Mickey wreath (or a plain old wreath), create a stencil in the top of the cake first in case it’s not centered or looks wonky--you can frost over the stencil and try again. I used round biscuit cutters. Dye about ½ cup or so of reserved frosting with green gel food coloring. I used Americolor Leaf Green and Wilton Juniper Green. I also used the Wilton 106 tip to pipe mini rosettes on this 6” cake, but a full sized cake would be ideal for 1M rosettes. Or, you can use a variety of tips, but you’ll need extra frosting for separate bags.
Decorate with festive sprinkles and/or the candied cranberries.

Enjoy!

Leftovers can be kept at room temperature in a sealed container (or in the fridge--your choice). Seal any cut edges with leftover frosting or by placing plastic wrap right against the cut edges.