Winter Citrus-Cranberry Cake - A Recipe from Bake from Scratch

      Make your holiday baking effortless with the Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer. Its open design ensures complete contact with the bowl during ingredient addition, and its robust motor allows for faster mixing, helping your recipe come together more quickly. Additionally, its numerous attachments are perfect for preparing any kind of batter or dough. Try it out with this beautiful layer cake that will be a showstopper at your holiday gathering.

      **Yields 1 (8-inch) cake**

      - 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar

      - 2 tablespoons (12 grams) orange zest

      - ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

      - 3 large eggs (150 grams), at room temperature

      - 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract

      - 3 cups (375 grams) unbleached cake flour

      - 2½ teaspoons (13 grams) baking powder

      - 1½ teaspoons (5 grams) kosher salt

      - ¾ cup (180 grams) whole milk, at room temperature

      - ¼ cup (60 grams) fresh orange juice

      - ¼ cup (57 grams) neutral oil

      - Cranberry Buttercream (recipe below)

      - Garnish: Sugared Cranberries

      Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray two (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray containing flour. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and orange zest until the sugar is fragrant, about 1 minute. Set up the Ankarsrum mixer with the stainless steel bowl. Insert the dough knife in the smaller hole, positioning the dough roller slightly off to the side of the bowl. Add the butter and beat by increasing the mixer speed to medium-high (6 o'clock) gradually, until the mixture is creamy, approximately 1 minute, using a scraper to help move the butter around (it may stick to the roller initially). Slowly mix in the sugar mixture while scraping the bowl often. Let it combine until well mixed and light in color, around 3 minutes. Add the eggs, beating until just blended. Incorporate the vanilla.

      In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on the lowest speed (12 o'clock), gradually mix in the flour combination with the butter mixture. Move the roller to 1 inch from the bowl's side and increase the mixer speed to medium-low (2 o'clock) until mixed well. In another medium bowl, combine the milk, orange juice, and oil. With the mixer running, gradually add this liquid mixture to the batter, blending until well combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (approximately 2½ cups or 665 grams each). Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks. Level the cooled cake layers if desired. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1½ cups (360 grams) of Cranberry Buttercream on this layer. Add the second cake layer on top and cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. If desired, garnish with sugared cranberries. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

      **Let us know how it was!**

      **CRANBERRY BUTTERCREAM**

      **Yields about 6½ cups**

      - 1 cup (118 grams) fresh cranberries

      - 3 tablespoons (45 grams) fresh orange juice

      - 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar

      - 3 cups (681 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

      - 6 cups (720 grams) confectioners' sugar

      - 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt

      - 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract

      In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, orange juice, and granulated sugar, bringing it to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring occasionally. Cook while stirring frequently until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. (You should have approximately ½ cup of the mixture.) Transfer the cranberry mixture to a food processor and purée until smooth. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender for puréeing.) Assemble the Ankarsrum mixer with the beater bowl and cookie beaters. Add the butter and beat at medium-low speed (2 o'clock) until smooth. Gradually incorporate the confectioners' sugar, mixing until well blended and stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed (12 o'clock), add the salt, vanilla, and cooled cranberry mixture, mixing until well combined and scraping the bowl thoroughly. Increase the mixer speed to