Cranberry Orange Pound Cake with White Chocolate and an Orange Glaze
Orange and cranberry are the perfect pairing in this delicious pound cake. Nothing says the holidays like cranberries and citrus. Put them in a dessert and it's sure to be a hit. Follow the directions in this simple, straightforward recipe and bring it to your next gathering to enjoy with family and friends.
1& ½ cup all-purpose flourcake flour can also be used for a denser texture
½teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonsalt
1cupfresh or dried cranberries
3tablespoonorange zestlemon zest can be used for variation
¼cupfresh squeezed orange juiceor bottled orange juice if that's what you have
½cupwhite chocolate chunks
½cupbutterat room temperature
1& ½ cup sugar
½cupheavy cream
4ozcream cheese
3large eggs
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Glaze
3tablespoonmelted butter
⅓cuppowdered sugar
Fresh squeezed orange juice to glaze consistency
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F and line a loaf or bundt pan with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, and salt—and sift together. Don't skip this step, it’s imperative to the outcome. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest, and juice. Set aside. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter until smooth. Add in sugar, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Mix until well incorporated. Slowly add in the egg mixture to the butter mixture on low speed. Begin to add in the flour mixture. When half the flour is added, toss the remaining flour with the cranberries and white chocolate to coat. Stir this into the batter to prevent clumping. Pour batter into the prepared pan and tap gently to remove any bubbles. Bake at 350°F for one hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and there’s no wiggle. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before glazing. Right before serving, mix together the melted butter, powdered sugar, and orange juice for the glaze. Drizzle over the cake and garnish with extra orange zest for added orange flavor.