Cranberry and Walnut Cake with Mascarpone Frosting
, Updated Dec 26, 2021
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Cranberry and Walnut Cake with a frosted cranberry crown is simply perfect for Christmas! Three layers of moist walnut cake studded with cranberries and layered with easy mascarpone frosting.
Love festive bakes? Check out my Gingerbread Layer Cake, Black Forest Pavlova, Vegan Chocolate Gingerbread Cake and many others in the blog archives!
Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure
Published 2015, updated 2020
I am in full Christmas mode and I just can’t hide it any longer! It’s been a couple of weeks of decking the house with twinkly lights, pinning ideas on Pinterest and trying to decipher my kids’ Santa list.
Luckily I also have been busy testing endless festive recipes… This Cranberry Walnut Layer Cake is perfect for Christmas celebrations and so easy you can bake it last minute 🙂
Cranberry and Walnut Cake
Cranberries and walnuts are often paired together in coffee cakes and loaf cakes… I know you will LOVE this layer cake version!
This easy cake uses the reverse creaming method which combines the flour and butter FIRST – good news, you don’t have to cream butter and sugar!
You can make it in a stand mixer, a food processor or even using a hand mixer – it’s very easygoing.
I baked this in small 6 inch tins but the layers are really quite deep as you can see from the slice photo. You can bake in 9 inch tins if preferred.
You can use frosted cranberries for decoration as I have done, gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, candy canes or simply some festive sprinkles!
This cake will stay moist and fresh for a couple of days at room temperature in a covered cake container.
My Favourite Festive Recipes
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Mini Pavlovas With Baileys and Biscoff
Easy Ginger Cake
HAVE YOU MADE MY CRANBERRY AND WALNUT CAKE RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Festive Cranberry and Walnut Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 350 g (2 ¾ cups) flour plain / all purpose flour
- 330 g ( 1⅔ cups) sugar
- 60 g ( ⅓ cup) walnuts ground to a powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- pinch ground cardamom
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 200 g (¾ cup + 1 heaped tbsp) cold unsalted butter cubed
- 200 ml (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) milk
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 140 g (1 cup) fresh cranberries halved if large
- 1 tbsp flour to toss the cranberries
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 orange
For the frosting & filling
- 500 g (2 cups) full fat mascarpone
- 240 ml (1 cup) whipping cream
- 240 g 2 cups icing sugar powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 tbsp cranberry sauce or compote or as needed, to fill
To decorate
- handful fresh cranberries to decorate
- 1 tbsp egg white + 1 tsp sugar
- granulated sugar to frost the cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Grease and line your cake tins. Dust with flour.
- Grind the walnuts to a fine powder in a food processor or blender.
- Add all the dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a food processor fitted with a metal blade). Mix on low speed to combine.
- Add the cubed butter and mix for a couple of minutes until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add the milk, orange juice, vanilla extract and orange zest and beat together on low speed.
- Once the milk has been incorporated, increase the speed and mix together for a few minutes, stopping the mixer and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Toss the cranberries in the flour to coat, then fold into the batter.
- Divide the batter between the prepared tins and level. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and the tops are firm and springy. Cool completely before frosting. You may need to level the layers before assembling the cake.
- Whip the mascarpone, vanilla and icing sugar on low speed until combined. Increase the speed and beat together until smooth.
- Gradually add the cream and whip until the frosting is smooth and you have firm peaks. Take care not to over whip. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip.
- Pipe a ring of frosting around the rim of the bottom layer and fill the centre with cranberry sauce. Top with the second layer and repeat. Add the final layer.
- Smooth some frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Leave some of the cake showing through to achieve the ‘naked’ cake look, or do a crumb coat then chill the cake, then add another layer of frosting and smooth over the cake.
- Use a fork to whisk 1 tbsp egg white with 1 tsp of sugar until frothy. Brush over the fresh cranberries and leave to dry slightly. Sprinkle with granulated sugar to achieve the ‘frosted’ look. Arrange over the top of the cake (do not eat!).
Notes
This conversion table might be useful https://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/hints-tips/cheat-sheets/us-cups-conversion-table
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Made this yesterday. Turned out fantastic as all your recipes do. Thank you for such great cakes Lucy.
Lovely cake! I was looking to make this cake and I was wondering if you had the conversions in cups?
Sorry for late reply – I have updated the recipe as best I can. This conversion table might also be useful https://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/hints-tips/cheat-sheets/us-cups-conversion-table
Absolutely lovely! Looking to make this cake and I was wondering if you knew the conversions in cups.
Hi Brianna – will look into it for you
This is exactly what I would love to serve after Christmas dinner. Could I double this recipe and use three 9 inch cake pans? Unfortunately the 6 inch is too small for the amount of people that are coming for dinner. Thanks so much!
I think you can make this recipe as is in three 9inch pans – I think I should have put 4×6 inch pans so that’s my mistake (and thanks for pointing it out). I have amended the recipe to reflect this.
I have just got round to making this cake – but am confused as to the quantity of cranberries needed. 140gms is only 5oz. Which should it be? Help!!
Hi Alison – you are totally right my conversion was off. It is 5oz of fresh cranberries in the cake plus a handful more to decorate. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for pointing that out. I have corrected the recipe. 😳
Thank you so much for the quick reply Lucy! I had all the ingredients measured out and am making this cake for a friend’s birthday tomorrow. I will let you know how it goes. But all looking good so far!
Made this today to bring for a Christmas dinner tomorrow, turned out just beautiful!! I also soaked fresh cranberries in simple strip overnight before coating them in sugar, so now they’re edible and quite delicious:) Thanks for the recipe!
Great idea with the cranberries!! So glad the cake the cake turned out well and Merry Christmas!
What a gorgeous, perfect winter cake! The flavors, the way it's decorated–everything!
Another beautiful cake Lucy. Happy blogiversary x
This is just beautiful Lucy. I wasn't feeling particularly festive yet, as I haven't really got around to any Christmas shopping or anything. However this cake and your cocktail post have certainly got me in the mood.
Well done on this cake! x
Absolutely wonderful! This cake makes me dream of wonderland 🙂
Beautiful, beautiful!