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The sweetest White Christmas Cranberry Layer Cake to celebrate the most wonderful time of year. Four layers of light and fluffy vanilla cake, made moist with the addition of coconut nog and greek yogurt. Each cake has a layer of homemade cranberry jam and white chocolate buttercream. Every bite is delicious with fresh cranberries, hints of coconut, and sweet vanilla cake. The perfect festive cake to celebrate the holidays this season.
The final countdown between now and Christmas is officially on. We’re just one week away from Christmas Eve. The craziness has set in, and as usual, I’m scrambling to check every last item off my to-do list before it’s too late…
It’s going to be tight this year, but thankfully, I have an exciting cake to share with everyone today.
Jumping right into my rambling because I have stories and details to share on this very special Christmas cake.
Here is the story…
I’ve wanted to make a version of this cake for a couple of years now, but the vision in my head stopped me every single time. Sometimes I can have a picture in my head of a recipe (especially dessert recipes) before I’ve even begun to develop the recipe. I love when this is the case because it helps me to easily write up the recipe to start testing. But with this cake? The picture in my head intimidated me. I knew there was a very good chance I could never recreate the photo in my head and that if I were to attempt the cake, I might end up walking away with disappointment. I put a lot of pressure on myself to give you guys only the best recipes and I just knew this cake could never turn out as cute as the one in my head.
I held off for a good two years, but this year it was a phone call with my mom that convinced me I needed to at least try. Because really, you never know until you try.
Plus, the sound of a sweet cranberry layer cake lightly hinted with coconut sounded so good to both of us. It was time to share this cake already!
So. I tried. And by the end of the day, I may have even shed a few tears. Even though this cake looks nothing like what I envisioned, it’s DELICIOUS. And in the end, that’s all that truly matters.
And you know what? It’s not perfect, but I do indeed LOVE it.
The details.
The vanilla cake is not your standard cake. My secret is to use a mix of coconut nog and Greek yogurt to keep the cake extra moist. If you don’t love coconut nog or simply don’t want to make it, use buttermilk. I will say that the eggnog adds only a nice spiced flavor. I used my homemade coconut nog (which is vegan, so technically not eggnog).
While the cake itself is good, it’s not really the star flavor. Nope, what this cake is really all about is the cranberry jam. It’s made with maple syrup and hinted with orange, cinnamon, and gingers. The flavors of Christmas.
It. Is. So. Good!
Once you’ve made the cake, it comes together pretty easily. The trickiest part is slicing the cake layers in half, which I know might sound scary, but you guys can do it.
I decorated simply, with sugared cranberries, coconut, and rosemary.
A few things…
One, don’t stress too much about creating a perfectly even cut. As you can see, my layers are nowhere near perfect, but all turned out OK.
Two, use a long serrated bread knife to cut the cake in half. This helps so much with making an even cut all the way through.
Three, be sure to cool the cake completely before slicing.
Please don’t stress about having to cut the cake layers in half. It’s not as scary as it may seem. Once you layer everything together the cake is going to be beautiful…no matter what. And, if you do have trouble and the cake crumbles a bit, don’t worry, those crumbs make for a delicious snack.
Four, remember that any “mistakes” can all be fixed with frosting…never too much frosting.
Bottom line?
You need to be making this cake. All the holiday cookies are amazing, and we do need them, but a show-stopping cake is always a good idea. Plus, you can never have too many sweets at Christmas time.
Tis the season. Enjoy it, and then…healthy January will follow.
If you make this white Christmas cranberry layer cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
White Christmas Cranberry Layer Cake
Servings: 24
Calories Per Serving: 437 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons coconut rum (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups coconut nog, eggnog, or buttermilk
- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Cranberry Jam
- 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup orange juice + 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
White Chocolate Buttercream
- 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract (use your favorite or both)
- sugared cranberries, shredded coconut, and rosemary, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the canola oil, yogurt, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggnog (or buttermilk). Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined. 3. Pour the batter among the cake pans and bake 30-35 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before assembling.4. To make the jam. Add the cranberries, maple syrup, and orange juice to a medium-size pot set over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling use a fork to break down the cranberries a bit. Continue to cook for 10 minutes or until the jam has reduced and thickened by 1/3. Stir in the vanilla, ginger, and cinnamon. Remove from the heat and let cool. 5. To make the buttercream. Add the butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the melted white chocolate and vanilla and beat until combined.6. To assemble. Using a large serrated knife, carefully cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1/4 of the buttercream over the cake and layer with about 1/3 cup of jam. Repeat with the remaining 3 cake layers. Be careful not to over fill your layers or the cake will be hard to slice. Lightly frost the outside of the cake. Chill 30 minutes. Serve or store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Before serving, decorate with sugared cranberries, coconut, and rosemary, if desired.
Sugared Cranberries
- 1. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups fresh cranberries with 1/2 cup maple syrup. Let sit 10-15 minutes. Strain the cranberries, then add them to a parchment lined baking sheet.2. Toss the cranberries with 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until all the cranberries are coated. Allow the cranberries to dry, in a single layer, for at least one hour.
This cake was a showstopper at Christmas dinner. My family kept raving about the flavors and the moist texture. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone!!
Hey Rachel,
Happy New Year!!🎆 I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your review! xT
This cake was a hit at our family Christmas Eve Dinner! My husband even said it was the best cake I ever made!
I have a question about the ratio of butter to powdered sugar. I read and used 1 1/2 cups butter and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Is that correct? I didn’t seem to have as much frosting as the pictures showed. It was very buttery but still delicious!
Hey Valerie,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Thanks for your comment! Yes, those measurements are correct, you could always make more if needed! xx
Hi! If I increase the serving size to about 35-40, I see that the amounts change, but what does that mean for the layers? Should I do a third layer and slice it in half too? or would I be okay just using (2) 9 inch pans?
Thank you!
Hey Mary,
Hmmm, you could do a third layer and slice it in half or you could do 2 smaller cakes, that might work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! Happy Holidays! xT
Can a store bought coconut nog (ex. so delicious coconut nog) work in replacement of the coconut nog recipe you no longer have access to? or would you recommend a regular egg nog? Thanks!
Hey Lauren,
Sure, I think the store bought coconut nog would probably work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Do you think substituting low fat cream cheese for part of the butter in the icing would work? It sounds delicious but I’d like to reduce the calories if I can. Thank you!
Hey Bev,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
I made this using 2 sticks of butter, and 8 oz of cream cheese for the frosting. Was delicious, and kept so well! Beautiful presentation too!
Hey Bev,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
Hi Tieghan,
When I click on the link for the coconut nog it brings me to a blank anthropologie site. Is there another place I can locate the coconut nog recipe? Thanks!
Dana
Hi Dana,
So sorry, I no longer have access to that recipe. Please let me know if there is anything else that I can help with! xx
Can I make this a day before eating? How should I best store it?
Hey Megan,
Totally, just store in an airtight container on the counter. I hope this recipe turns out well for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hey! Quick question: if I wanted to make a 3 layer 6 inch cake with this recipe, how would I adjust the measurements? (Switch serving size from 24 to 12-15?)
Please let me know; thanks!
Hi Elisa,
You can go ahead and adjust the serving size and the measurements will automatically adjust for you. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This cake is gorgeous! Do you have a substitution for the orange juice? I do not like orange juice at all. Would lemon work? Or, do you have another recommendation? Would SO appreciate your expertise! Thanks!
Hey Lisa,
I would stick with the orange:) I promise you can’t taste it, but you need to acidity to balance out the sweetness and I don’t think lemon is your best choice. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hello Tiegan – how much flower is used in this recipe? It is missing from the ingredient list. Looking forward to making for a Christmas party in a few weeks. Thanks!
Hi Caroline,
The recipe calls for 3 3/4 cups of all purpose flour. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi!
I made this cake for Christmas 2 years ago and we could notttt stop eating it, so delicious!
I want to make it again but am wondering what other oil I could use in substitution for canola?
Thank you!
Katie
Hey Katie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe! You could really use any other neutral oil, coconut oil would be a great option! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I made this cake for my mother’s birthday. It is one of the best cakes I have ever had. My husband told me it was a $250 cake. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it! I will definitely be making this again.
Hi Becky,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Birthday to your mom!! Have a great weekend:)
I made this cake for a cake auction at church but after tasting the pieces I had cut off along with the extra cranberry compote and icing I tried to bid on it myself! I purchased the ingredients to make another one for my family this Thanksgiving.
Hey Kimberly,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go! xT