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Clever Housewife

Christmas Cranberry and White Chocolate Pound Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 1 3/4 Cups Flour - sifted 3 times see directions
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1 Cup Cranberries fresh or thawed
  • 1 Cup White Chocolate Chips or half of 12 oz bag
  • 1/2 Cup Butter - room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Cups Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 Cup Mascarpone Cheese
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 2 Tbs Browned Butter - for the top of the loaf before baking
Frosting
  • 1/4 Cup Butter - softened
  • 4 oz Cream Cheese
  • 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
Garnish
  • 1/2 Cup Craisins - for sprinkling on top of baked loaf.
  • 1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
  • 1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Grease and flour 4 mini loaf pans, or 1 lg bread pan and line with Parchment paper.or parchment pan liner or mini loaf pan papers (like muffin cups)
  3. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and sift 3 times. Don't skip this step! Set aside.
  4. In a small saucepan, brown 2 1/2 Tbs butter, until golden, but not burned. Set aside.
  5. Cream the butter and sugar together in mixer.
  6. Add the eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture.
  7. Add the Heavy Cream and Mascarpone, and beat on medium speed until well blended.
  8. Gradually add the sifted flour mixture and beat with mixer on low.
  9. Gently stir the White Chocolate Chips into batter.
  10. Toss Cranberries with a Tablespoon of flour until coated, then gently fold into batter.
  11. Divide the dough between 4 mini loaf pans, or all of it in one large loaf pan. Spread the top until smooth.
  12. With a knife, make and indentation down the center of the batter in the pans, and spoon the browned butter into this furrow.
  13. Bake in oven for 50 min for mini loaves, or 55 to 65 minutes for large loaf. Test for doneness by inserted toothpick - coming out clean.
  14. Cool in pans for 15 min, then remove from pans and cool on a rack.
  15. Prepare Frosting, then frost the tops and partially down sides of the loaves. Let frosting set for a few minutes before adding a handful of Craisins on top. .
  16. Prepare Garnish Glaze by heating White Chocolate and oil over low heat until melted. Let it cool enough, so it won't melt the frosting when you drizzle it.
  17. Now drizzle the White Chocolate glaze over the top of the sprinkled Craisins.
  18. Serve immediately, or wrap in cellophane to gift a mini loaf to a friend. They'll love the decadence of it!

Notes