butter.city

Ok, I’ll be honest. I bought two giant bags of fresh cranberries… for Thanksgiving. It’s June now, and I finally took second crack at the half bag still in my freezer. Quite happy to report cranberry useage a success! Also special guest hands: Heather!!

Recipe:

modified from Barefoot Contessa’s Orange Pound Cake

takes about 90 minutes

makes two standard loaves (8.5″ x 4.5″ x 2.5″), can be halved

You need:

one large bowl, 1 medium bowl, 1 measuring cup (minimum 2 c capacity)

additional one small bowl for glaze

Pound cake:

16 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 c granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

zest from 2 oranges (about 4 Tbsp, minimum)

3 call-purpose flour, loose

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 c freshly squeezed orange juice, divided (from 2-3 oranges)

3/4 c buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c cranberries, fresh or frozen

Orange glaze:

1 c powdered sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Line two loaf pans with parchment paper, or grease and flour them to prevent sticking. Prep 1 c cranberries by cutting in halves or chopping. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together 16 Tbsp unsalted butter and 2 1/2 c granulated sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in 4 large eggs, one at a time. Follow by mixing in orange zest.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients: 3 call-purpose flour, loose, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt. In a measuring cup, make 3/4 c buttermilk, then pour in 1/4 c freshly squeezed orange juice and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Mix dry ingredients (in thirds) and wet ingredients (in halves) into the buttercream, starting and ending with the dry. Lastly, mix in cranberries.

Pour the batter into the pans, then bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. While baking, mix 1 1/2 Tbsp orange juice and 1 c powdered sugar in a small bowl with a fork. When cakes come out of the oven, drizzle glaze over the warm cakes. Let cool before serving.

Cakes stay fresh in an airtight container for at least 3 days.