Decorate this layered, zesty sponge cake with white chocolate buttercream, meringue kisses and gold leaf for a spectacular Christmas Day centrepiece
White chocolate, orange & cranberry Christmas cake
Try sponge instead of fruitcake this Christmas. Buy the meringue decorations, or bake them yourself.
SERVES 20-22 PREP 2 hrs COOK 1 hr 5 mins MORE EFFORT V ❄ sponges only
300g salted butter, chopped,
plus extra for the tin
200g white chocolate,
finely chopped
500g plain flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
500g caster sugar
300ml natural yogurt
4 tsp vanilla extract
1 large orange, zested and juiced
6 eggs
4 tbsp milk
For the compote
200g cranberries
150g caster sugar
For the icing
200g white chocolate,
finely chopped
500g salted butter, softened
750g icing sugar, sifted
280g soft cheese
To decorate
meringue kisses, edible snowflake
decorations and gold leaf (optional)
1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins and line with baking parchment. Melt 150g of the butter and 100g of the chocolate in a bowl over a small pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Or, do this in 30-second bursts in the microwave. Stir the butter and chocolate every minute or so until it has melted. Set aside to cool a little.
2 Meanwhile, tip 250g of the flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp bicarb and 250g of the sugar into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and tip in 150g of the yogurt, 2 tsp vanilla extract, half the orange zest and juice, 3 of the eggs and 2 tbsp milk. Whisk everything together, then stir in the melted butter and chocolate.
3 When the cake mixture is smooth (it will be a very wet, pourable batter), divide it equally between the two prepared tins. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25-30 mins – the cakes will be golden and evenly risen. When ready, a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes will come out clean. If any wet cake mixture remains on the skewer, return it to the oven for a few more minutes, then check again.
4 Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wash out the tins and repeat steps 1 and 2 to make two more sponges (you’ll have four in total). Can be made up to two days before icing and decorated. Once cool, wrap well. Will keep frozen for up to two months.
5 To make the compote, tip the cranberries and sugar into a small pan and simmer for 4-5 mins until jammy, then leave to cool. For the icing, melt the chocolate, either in 20-30 second bursts in a microwave, or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly. Roughly mash the butter and icing
