This Spiced Apple Cider Cake with Frosted Cranberries is a dreamy Fall cake with four layers of spiced apple cider cake and layers of light frosting with sweet and tart sugared cranberries.
This Fall Cake though …. I love it. I hardly repeat a recipe and yet, I’ve made this cake twice within two weeks for separate events. It’s been well received for the groups I made it for, including people asking for the recipe (here you are for those of you that asked). 🙂
Seasonally fitting with warm festive spices to brighten apple cider and topped with pretty frosted cranberries. The recipe is stone cold easy as well. Which is great as I sometimes I deter from making cake as it seems like way too many steps and I generally don’t have the time.
The cranberries are a bit of process with regards to time. They need time to dry out at two different points. This works for me currently as I only have short pockets of time between nursing baby 3 and chasing twin toddlers.
The icing is pretty quick, again you some time to let the base cool, but it’s not a ton. And, I really liked the process for this icing where you create a base then beat it with butter, no whipping cream, no eggs, just butter and a sugar base.
You’ll want to keep an eye on the cake while it’s cooking. The directions state that “bake cake layers until they begin to pull away from sides of pan” – the cake and the pan will have a space between them.
I also was alarmed originally by how slim the cake layers were, this isn’t a batter that rises. Be sure to knock the pan with batter in them a few time on the counter before baking to avoid any large air pockets.
Other cakes perfect for Fall and Winter:
- 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened in microwave, plus additional for greasing pans
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting cake pans
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg I used ground, but you can also use fresh, grated
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 2/3 cup apple cider juice, not filtered
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp tsp salt
- 3/4 cup apple cider juice, not filtered
- 2 1/2 sticks 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 package approx. 200 grams fresh cranberries (frozen won't work)
- 3/4 cup berry fine or regular sugar
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Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter 2 (8"x2") round cake pans. Dust with flour, knocking out excess.
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Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a medium bowl.
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Combine apple cider and lemon juice in a small measuring cup.
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Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, then add brown sugar and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions.
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Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture and cider mixture alternating in 3 batches, beginning with flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
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Divide batter between cake pans and tap on work surface to release air bubbles.
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Bake layers until they begin to pull away from the sides of pans and a cake tester comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
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Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then invert on to cooling racks until cooled completely, at least 1 hour. (I let mine cool and then placed (with parchment paper between layers) in fridge over night before icing.)
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!Buttercream:
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Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a sauce pan. Whisk in cider. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 1 minute. Mixture will become quite thick. Transfer to a metal bowl that is set in a larger bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally until cool.
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Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add 1/3 of cooled cider mixture and beat until incorporated. Add remaining cider mixture and beat until well blended and smooth.
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When cakes are cool, arrange 1 layer flat side up and spread with 3/4 cup buttercream. Top with second layer and frost top and sides with remaining buttercream. Chill 2 hours before serving to allow buttercream to set.
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* cake will keep chilled nicely for 1-2 days.
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!Cranberries:
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Place sugar and water in pot and heat until simmering (not boiling) and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place cranberries in pan and submerge. Make sure cranberries are well coated.
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Using a slotted spoon transfer coated to cranberries to a wire rack to dry for an hour, but not longer than a couple of hours (they'll become too dry to be coated in the sugar) OR roll in a piece of paper towel.
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Place cranberries in small batches into the granulated sugar in a shallow pan or bowl and roll cranberries through sugar to coat.
Enjoy!
Cake recipe from Gourmet and Sugared Cranberries from Baker’s Royal
I honestly don’t know where you find the time to bake and decorate such pretty desserts, man your blog, and take care of three little ones! Supermom, for sure! This cake is gorgeous, and I love that it’s spiced apple — apple cake is one of my favourites! Thanks for sharing, Sam!
Shucks Amanda! I’m definitely not on top of things as I’m just getting to this comment now :/
I don’t know if I’ve ever had an apple cake before his one, but I do like that it’s seasonal flavours without being too overbearing.
Can’t wait for Monday!
This is prefect! Absolutely gorgeous and I imagine it also tastes divine!
This cake looks divine! My kind of treat! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This looks perfect for the holiday season!
Have you ever had frosted cranberries before? I’m definitely obsessed!
This is so beautiful! Those frosted cranberries are gorgeous.
That is a beautiful holiday cake. Reminds me of something that the Sugar Plum Fairy might leave as a gift!
Such a sweet comment! 🙂
Oh. My. Sweetness. This cake is beautiful! I love what you did with the cranberries! And cannot wait to taste your frosting! I’m all about the frosting!
The frosting is great in this recipe. The base is a gelatine and I love it!
I saw this in insta and it looked beautiful! Happy holidays <3
Thanks Brianne! Appreciate the note. Happy holidays to you! I’m looking forward to seeing all your festive treats.
So beautiful. Love the seasonal flavours and those frosted cranberries look so darling!
Thanks you so much! The frosted cranberries are definitely stars in their own right. Plus, candy that I can feel okay about giving to my kids 😉
did you double the recipe to make four cake layers or am I missing something hahah
😉 This cake is 4″ wide so it’s quite narrow. I made 2 cakes at 8″ but wanted a taller cake for the photos as I think it looks better, so I cut them to suit my needs 😉 All the details on the sizes this recipe makes is in the recipe notes. Hope you get a chance to make it!
What a beautiful cake! Sounds delicious too!
Thanks so much! It’s super festive!
Awww! Thanks for sharing! I love how you used the cranberries in a fun new way!