Cranberry cake
Tangy bursts of cranberry, crunchy pistachios, fluffy citrus sponge and smooth, sweet icing make this cake a flavour sensation – the perfect Christmas treat
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 200g unsalted butter , softened, plus extra to for the tin
- 200g caster sugar
- 3eggs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 2tbsp milk
- 2lemons , zested, plus extra to garnish
- 125g fresh or frozen cranberries , plus 2 tbsp extra defrosted to garnish
- handful of pistachios , roughly chopped (optional)
- 100g unsalted butter , softened
- 200g icing sugar
- ½lemon , juiced
Instructions
Step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 900g loaf tin with butter and baking paper, hanging the paper over the edges slightly. Put the butter and caster sugar into a bowl, and beat with an electric whisk until smooth, pale and fluffy. Scrape down the edges of the bowl and gradually whisk in the eggs. Tip in the flour, milk, lemon zest and 110g cranberries, and fold in until you have a smooth batter.Step 2
Tip the batter into the loaf tin and smooth the top so it’s level. Dot over the remaining cranberries and press them lightly into the mixture. Bake for 55 mins-1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.Step 3
Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat together the butter and icing sugar with an electric whisk for 5 mins until pale and fluffy, and then beat in the lemon juice.Step 4
Once the sponge is cool, put on a serving platter. Spoon the lemon icing on top of the loaf and swirl so the top is coated. Finish with a few more cranberries, chopped pistachios and some lemon zest.