Say hello to your new favorite holiday cake! Light buttermilk spice cake layers are filled with tart cranberry filling and covered with cream cheese frosting. The coarse sugar coating can be optional. It adds a wintry touch to the cake, and sugar crunch. Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used for this recipe. If using frozen, thaw them before using in this recipe.
Chop 1/2 cup of the whole cranberries and set aside.
Place the remaining 2 cups of cranberries, the sugar, orange zest, and orange zest in a medium saucepan. In a separate small bowl stir together the cornstarch and water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and stir.
Cook over medium heat until the cranberries begin to pop and the mixture bubbles (about 5-6 minutes). When the mixture is thick, shiny, and translucent, add the 1/2 cup chopped cranberries and the butter to the pan. Stir until the butter is melted. Let cool about 30 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Cover the filing with plastic wrap touching the surface (see video) and refrigerate until set, 4 hours or overnight.
Cake layers
Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat three 8-inch round cake pans with flour-based baking spray (or grease and flour pans).
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Slowly add in the 2 cups of sugar while the mixer runs. When the mixture is light and fluffy, add the eggs 1 at a time.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add this mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating on low speed. Begin and end with flour. Finally, mix in the vanilla extract.
Divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Turn the cakes out onto wire racks and cool completely before frosting.
Cream cheese frosting
Cream together the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar in two additions. Beat until smooth. Add vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again until combined.
Remove about 1/2 cup of the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small star tip. Fill a second piping bag with frosting, fitted with a 1/2-inch round piping tip (or just snip a 1/2 inch hole in the bag with scissors). Cover any remaining frosting in the bowl with a damp towel to keep it from drying out while you work.
Place a cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Pipe a ring of frosting around the top edge of the cake. Fill the circle with half of the cranberry filing. Stack another cake layer on top and repeat the process, using the second half of the cranberry filling. Top with the third cake layer. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to the outside of the cake. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Cover the cake with the remaining frosting. Smooth top and sides using a cake smoother or bench scraper. Chill until set, about 1 hour.
Décors
Add the corn syrup and water to a small kitchen-dedicated spray bottle, screw on the top and shake to mix. Spray set frosting surface all over with the sugar syrup. Let stand 2 minutes to get sticky. Gently pat the coarse sugar onto the cake on all sides and the top. Lightly brush away excess sugar from the top of the cake.
Using the reserved piping bag fitted with the star tip, pipe a looping scroll of frosting on the top edge of the cake. (I can best describe as free-hand cursive-inspired loops, see video.) Sprinkle the scroll work with leftover coarse sugar.
Arrange fresh cranberries, orange peel, and little tufts of fresh rosemary around the scroll work on top of the cake.
Store the cake in the refrigerator. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.
Notes
The cake layers can be made in advance and frozen. Wrap the layers well in plastic wrap and place them in freezer bags with the air removed.
If you don't have a spray bottle handy to apply the sugar syrup, mix the syrup and water in a bowl and apply it to the set frosting with a pastry brush.
The candied orange peel I purchased came in chunky strips, so I cut them down with a paring knife to finer ribbons. I recommend doing this if your candied peel is also quite thick.