The holidays are here, and what better way to get into the spirit than by baking? Find all the inspiration you need in Grandbaby Cakes, the debut cookbook from sensational food writer Jocelyn Delk Adams. Her Merry Berry Christmas Cake is sure to spread cheer!
Merry Berry Christmas Cake
Winter can be so enchanting with its milky snowflakes, and the slower pace really lets you soak in the Christmas moments. With each passing year, my priorities shift more and more from the things underneath the tree to the memories I can treasure, hold on to, and look back fondly on. A crackling fireplace; quality time with all of my family, including my Uncles Sidney, Larry, Terry, and BB; Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” playing in the background; a family game of Taboo (which can get quite competitive); and a slice of this festive cake are all I need around that time of year.
This Merry Berry Christmas Cake is all about cherishing and indulging in those memories. It’s a perfect holiday cake, and I plan to open presents every year while eating a nice big slice of it.
Ingredients
BERRY TOP
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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1 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
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¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1 ¼ cups fresh raspberries
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1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries
CAKE
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1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
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2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
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6 large eggs, room temperature
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3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
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1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 cup sour cream, room temperature
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
SWIRL
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3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam, melted
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3–4 drops red food coloring
Instructions
FOR THE TOP
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan with the nonstick method of your choice. Add the melted butter to bottom of the Bundt pan. Cover the butter with ¾ cup of the brown sugar and the cinnamon. Evenly spread the raspberries and cranberries over the brown sugar, covering the entire area. Carefully pat down the berries inside the pan. Cover the berries with the remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar. Set aside.
FOR THE CAKE
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the butter and beat on high speed for 1 minute. Slowly add the granulated sugar. Cream together for an additional 5 minutes, until very pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed and slowly add the flour mixture in 2 batches. Be careful not to overbeat. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
FOR THE SWIRL
Remove 1 cup of the batter from the mixing bowl and add it to a separate small bowl. Stir in the melted raspberry jam and red food coloring and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
TO ASSEMBLE
Evenly pour ⅓ of the plain batter into the Bundt pan over the berries. Add ½ of the swirl batter on top. Add another ⅓ of the plain batter and the remaining swirl batter on top. Then add the remaining ⅓ of the plain batter on top.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top of cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven. Let cool for only 5 to 7 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling. If any berries stick to the pan, carefully use a butter knife to remove them and place them back on top of the cake. Lightly cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap so it does not dry out. Let the juices settle (to speed this process, you can refrigerate).
If using, garnish with a small sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. Serve at room temperature.