Almond-Cranberry Cake
 
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) tightly packed orange zest
  • ¾ teaspoon (3 grams) vanilla extract
  • ¾ teaspoon (3 grams) almond extract
  • 3 cups (375 grams) cake flour
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
  • 1 cup (240 grams) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1½ cups (165 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ½ cup (140 grams) simple syrup, reserved from Sugared Cranberries (recipe follows)
  • Almond Buttercream (recipe follows)
  • Garnish: lightly toasted sliced almonds, Sugared Cranberries (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange zest and extracts.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Transfer half of batter (about 323 grams) to a large bowl; fold in half of fresh or frozen cranberries. Fold remaining fresh or frozen cranberries into remaining batter in mixer bowl. Pour into prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula.
  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
  5. Trim cooled cake layers flat, and brush each layer with simple syrup. Spread 2 cups (490 grams) Almond Buttercream between layers. Spread remaining buttercream on top and sides of cake. Garnish with almonds and Sugared Cranberries, if desired.
Recipe by Bake from Scratch at https://staging.bakefromscratch.com/almond-cranberry-cake/