White Chocolate Cranberry Layered Cake pairs moist almond cake layers with two complementary fillings: a sweet-tart thick cranberry sauce and a silky white chocolate coconut custard. Finished with shredded coconut for a snowy look and a cluster of sparkling cranberries in the center, this cake makes an elegant holiday centerpiece that’s certain to impress.
White Chocolate Cranberry Layered Cake
This White Chocolate Cranberry Layered Cake is a festive dessert built from three tender almond cake layers, each paired with a bright cranberry filling, and all enveloped in a velvety white chocolate coconut filling. The combination of textures — light cake, jammy fruit, and creamy custard — creates a truly memorable bite.
Although the recipe involves several components, it’s straightforward when broken into steps and rewards the extra effort with a show-stopping result. It’s ideal for holiday gatherings such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve. Fresh cranberries are seasonal and fantastic for the filling, but frozen cranberries work well too.
The color palette of red and white makes this cake particularly suitable for Christmas — the white chocolate and coconut echo snowy tones while the cranberries provide festive color and brightness. Visually striking and delicious, the cake holds up well on a dessert table and can be made a few days ahead if needed.
Prepare the sparkling cranberries in advance to add a decorative and elegant touch. They keep well in the refrigerator and can be added just before serving to preserve their sheen.
White Chocolate Cranberry Layered Cake
- Author: Vera Z.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours
- Yield: 12-16 servings
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Three layers of almond cake alternate with a jam-like cranberry filling and a white chocolate coconut custard, finished with shredded coconut and sugared cranberries for a festive touch.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 7 large egg whites
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 3.5 oz (100 g) toasted almonds, ground
- 1 cup (100 g) sifted cake flour
Cranberry Filling:
- 1 lb (450 g) cranberries
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) sugar
- 1 cup cranberry juice (or raspberry juice)
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
White Chocolate Coconut Filling:
- 7 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups milk (divided)
- 2 (3 oz) boxes coconut cream cook-and-serve pudding
- 10 oz (280 g) white chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
For decoration:
- ¾ cup finely shredded coconut
Sparkling Cranberries:
- 1 ½ cups fresh firm cranberries
- 6 tablespoons water
- ¾ cup sugar, divided
Instructions
Sparkling Cranberries:
- Combine 6 tablespoons water and 6 tablespoons sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and dissolve the sugar, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cranberries so each berry is coated. Let them sit in the syrup for 5 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer cranberries to a wire rack and let them dry about 1 hour until sticky but not wet.
- Place the remaining sugar in a bowl and, in small batches, roll the cranberries in sugar until fully coated. Let them dry on parchment for another hour, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line bottoms with parchment, then spray the paper.
- In a small saucepan, brown the butter lightly, then cool to room temperature.
- Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until combined. Stir in cooled browned butter, then gently fold in ground almonds and flour.
- Divide batter evenly among the three pans, smooth the tops, and bake 18–20 minutes or until light golden and edges begin to pull away from the pans.
- Cool cakes in the pans 10 minutes, then invert onto a parchment-lined sheet. If parchment circles stick, peel them off and position each cake with the flat side down.
Cranberry Filling:
- Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup of the juice and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan combine cranberries, sugar, and remaining juice. Bring to a simmer and cook 8–10 minutes until berries burst and soften, mashing them with a spatula as they cook.
- Add the cornstarch mixture and cook 2–3 more minutes until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature; the filling should be jam-like.
- When cooled, spread the cranberry filling over the cake layers, leaving a ½-inch border clean, and allow it to set.
White Chocolate Coconut Filling:
- Dissolve the coconut cream puddings in 1 cup cold milk and set aside.
- Beat egg yolks with sugar. Warm 1 cup milk in a large saucepan, then whisk in the egg mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
- Add the dissolved pudding mix and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the chopped white chocolate, and stir until melted. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
- Beat softened butter until light and creamy, gradually add powdered sugar, then slowly add heavy cream and beat until thick. When the white chocolate mixture is fully cooled, fold in the butter mixture.
To assemble the cake:
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread cranberry filling, keeping the edges clean. Optionally use a 9-inch springform ring to help with assembly. Reserve about 2 cups of the white chocolate coconut filling for coating the sides and garnish.
- Spread one-third of the remaining filling over the cranberry layer. Top with the second cake layer, more cranberry filling if used, and another third of the white chocolate coconut filling. Repeat with the third layer. Chill 1–2 hours to firm.
- Remove the springform ring (if used) and smooth the reserved filling around the sides. Reserve some filling to pipe swirls for decoration. Press shredded coconut onto the top and sides, pipe swirls with a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip, and place sugared cranberries in the center. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week. You can assemble the cake 2–3 days ahead and add the cranberries just before serving.
