Cranberry Pound Cake
Happy eve of Christmas Eve everyone. We’ve reached the final day of the 12 Days of Christmas series on the blog. And as with every year, I feel a little blue about it. I’ve said before that the lead up to Christmas Day is actually my favorite part of the season, not the actual day itself. Once the day comes, it’s already almost over and the next one is as far away as it’s ever going to be. Add to that this year has been… a particularly different kind of year and holiday season for most of us.
2020 has been very, very difficult. Unimaginable, really. If you’re reading this and you have experienced particular hardship, tragedy or loss in 2020–also if the holiday season is a typically bleak and sad time of year for you in general– please know that you are in my thoughts. I wish there was a way that I could send/share some warmth, compassion and light in your direction–or at the very least some of my food.
I don’t know what all is going to happen in 2021. After the year we’ve had, it’s rather pointless to try and make predictions. The best that I can do is to remain grateful for all of the blessings I have in my life, and to hang on to the hope that better things and times are on the horizon for myself, and for all of you reading this blog post.
12 Days/recipes of baking a lot of work, but I do it because it never fails to insert a lot of light and cheer into my holiday season. To those who’ve been following along with it, I hope that my little baking series has done the same for you.
I decided to close out the series with pound cake, because why not? It’s something that I think it’s safe to say, most people like, and it gave me another opportunity to work with an ingredient I’ve been particularly obsessed with this season: fresh cranberries. Cranberries are a perfect addition to pound cake because as with many other desserts, they provide a much needed tart and slight bitterness to balance out all the sugar. With six eggs in the batter, this cake is extremely dense and rich, but the cranberries give it a real lift of freshness that almost makes you forget about pesky little things called calories. This is a really delicious cake, you guys. Try it sometime.
I wish everyone a sincere and heartfelt Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Stay safe. Wear a mask. Social distance. Be kind.
Day 1: Orange Cranberry Buns
Day 2: Sausage Bread Pudding & Cranberry Sauce
Day 3: Sugar & Spice Crackers
Day 4: Cranberry Cookie Tart
Day 5: Spicy Gingerbread Sticks
Day 6: Reindeer Munch
Day 7: Jell-O Butter Cookies
Day 8: Gingerbread Blondies
Day 9: Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle
Day 10: “Berry” Christmas! Scones
Day 11: Chocolate Turtles
Day 12: Cranberry Pound Cake
Ingredients For Cake For Icing Directions Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 16 cup (10 inch) Bundt or tube pan and set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer (or using a handheld one) beat the butter at medium speed until creamy and lighter in color. Gradually add the sugar, about 1 cup at a time, beating 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears. (Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as you’re doing this to ensure even mixing.) Add the flour to the butter mixer alternatively with the milk (begin and end with the flour). Beat at a low speed, just until combined after each addition. Add the extracts and the cranberries, stirring just until combined. Pour the batter into the cake pan. Lift and tap it down on the counter a few times (this will prevent air bubbles from forming). Place the cake pan on a sheet pan, then bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (Pound cake is done at an inner temp of 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit.) Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack. For icing, stir together ingredients in a small bowl, then use a small fork to drizzle on top of cake. Allow icing to set for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.Cranberry Pound Cake
This sounds wonderful. I made my own cranberry sauce this winter, with orange juice, zest, spices and honey and I have like it on toast with cream cheese! My favorite pie I made last winter was an apple pie with cranberries. I put cranberry sauce on my yogurt, with sliced bananas, blueberries, sliced almonds and some granola. Yay for cranberries.
I’ve appreciated your holiday series and saved several of the recipes. I, too, like the lead up to Christmas more than the actual day now. Without family or anyone to share the holiday with, my joy comes from just seeing all the decorations and lights before Christmas and listening to the music.
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas….before and during and after 🙂
That cranberry sauce recipe is VERY similar to how I make mine. I’ve never tried apple pie with cranberries; wow, I should though, it sounds amazing. You can probably tell that I have a small obsession with cranberries judging by how much I used them this season alone. They just make everything better lol
I wish you the very best Christmas; I’ll be thinking of you– before, during and after 😉
Thanks so much! I’m presently living with only a microwave and toaster oven. I normally reject microwaves but since it my main cooking source for now, I’ve become adept at it. I found the cranberry sauce microwave recipe online. I baked the pie last winter when I had an oven access. Hope you enjoy it if you make it. Thanks for the Christmas support. Hope you have a wonderful one this year and have had a wonderful one since I know last year’s was challenging for you.
It looks so delicious 😋
Let’s hope next year will be better! Is incredible that an year passed by and we’re still in this situation!
Have a wonderful and magical Christmas! Enjoy your holidays! 🎄❄️
Thank you! Merry Christmas to you and yours 🙂