White Chocolate Christmas Cake

If you’re not the biggest fan of traditional Christmas fruit cake, try this luxurious white chocolate sponge cake instead. Filled with cranberry jam and white chocolate icing, this will no doubt be a festive showstopper for your celebrations.

Ingredients (for 10 cookies)

  • 250g Cotswold Plain Flour
  • 150g salted butter, cubed
  • 100g white chocolate
  • 2tsp baking powder
  • 0.5tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 150ml natural yoghurt or sour cream
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of half an orange
  • 3 eggs
  • 2tbsp milk

For the cranberry jam:

  • 200g cranberries
  • 150g caster sugar

For the white chocolate icing:

  • 340g white chocolate, roughly chopped (plus 150g for drip effect)
  • 180ml double cream
  • 168g butter, at room temperature
  • 920g icing sugar

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C and lightly grease 3 x 8-inch cake tins. 
  2. Start with the cake. In a small, heatproof bowl over a pan simmering water, gently melt the white chocolate and the butter. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sugar. 
  4. Make a well in the middle, then pour in the yoghurt or sour cream, vanilla extract, orange zest, eggs and milk.
  5. Whisk everything together while slowly pouring in the melted white chocolate mixture. Combine until smooth.
  6. Divide the cake batter between the three cake tins and bake for 25 mins, until an inserted skewer comes out clean. The cakes should be slightly golden and well risen.
  7. Once removed from the oven, allow the cakes to sit for 5 minutes in the tins then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Meanwhile, make your cranberry jam. Add your cranberries and sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat. 
  9. Add 1tsp water and let simmer for 5-6 minutes until the cranberries have nearly all broken down. Once thick, set aside to cool and become a sticky jam.
  10. For the icing, add the white chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Melt the double cream in the microwave until just boiling then pour over the white chocolate. Cover with cling film and let side for 6 minutes.
  11. Remove the cling film and whisk mixture together until thick and smooth. Set aside to cool almost completely into a ganache.
  12. In a stand mixer or with a whisk, beat the ganache until fluffy then add the butter until fully combined. Slowly add in the icing sugar, beating until you have a thick icing – add more cream if needed. 
  13. When you’re ready to assemble, stack up the sponges with generous layers of icing and jam in sandwiched in between. Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of icing then refrigerate for 1-2 hour. Add the remaining icing to the cake, creating a smooth finish.
  14. If creating the drip effect, melt the chocolate in the microwave then slowly on top of the cake, pushing the chocolate to the edges of the cake until it drips off.
  15. For the wow factor, decorate with gold dust, meringue kisses, sprinkles, cranberries etc. Serve up with your favourite Christmas drink!