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A four-layer slice of chocolate cake with white icing and cranberry compote on a green plate.
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5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Cranberry Cake

This cake features layers of moist chocolate cake, brown butter cream cheese frosting and a zingy cranberry compote for a delicious holiday celebration cake.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 18 people
Author: Erika Kwee

Equipment

  • 1 half sheet pan 13x18"

Ingredients

For the brown butter

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, sliced

For the chocolate cake

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup buttermilk half yogurt or sour cream + half milk also works
  • 3/4 cup freshly brewed coffee, hot
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder natural cocoa will also work
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

For the cranberry compote

  • 3 cups fresh cranberries
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup yuzu juice

For the brown butter cream cheese frosting

  • 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of kosher salt

To assemble

  • ~1/2 cup fresh cranberries, for garnish (optional)
  • rosemary sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Brown the butter

  • In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add 1/2 cup unsalted butter, sliced. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and starts to sputter and foam, about 3-4 minutes. Once it starts foaming, use a rubber spatula to stir constantly, making sure to scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Once you can see amber flecks of milk solids in the butter, immediately pour the butter into a heat-safe container to stop the cooking. Chill in the fridge to solidify most of the way (at least one hour but up to overnight).

For the chocolate cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 and line a half sheet pan (13x18") with parchment.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla together until smooth.
  • Sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder and salt over the mixture and whisk in until fully combined. Whisk in the cocoa until fully combined, then whisk in the flour until no streaks remain.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the cake smells fragrant and springs back under your finger. Let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and let chill for at least one hour in the fridge (or 30 min in the freezer).

For the cranberry compote

  • In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar and yuzu juice. Cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries start to pop, break down and thicken.
  • Once the mixture looks thick and glossy, remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to blend until you have a relatively smooth puree, then set aside to cool completely. (Alternatively, you can keep the mixture chunky or let the mixture cool for 15 minutes before blending in a food processor or high speed blender.)

For the brown butter cream cheese frosting

  • If you've let the brown butter chill completely overnight, let it temper at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
    In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the softened but mostly solidified brown butter from the first step and beat until combined and creamy. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla and salt. Taste and adjust vanilla and salt as needed.

To assemble

  • Cut the chilled cake into fourths. Place one rectangle of cake on a cake stand and top with 1/4 of the frosting, then 1/3 of the cranberry compote. Repeat with the remaining cake layers, frosting and compote, ending with a layer of frosting. Top with sugared cranberries and rosemary, if desired.