Cranberry Cake

This is the cake I made for Joe’s birthday. It starts with a box mix – but once you add milk, extra eggs, sour cream, orange zest, and chopped cranberries – you could win over any gourmand. This cake would be a perfect addition to the Christmas dessert table! 

For the cake:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

For the frosting:

• 1 – 9 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 4 to 4 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 350º, grease and flour 3 – 9″ round cake pans, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, milk, eggs, oil, sour cream, and orange zest. Beat with an electric m mixer for three minutes. Fold in cranberries.
3. Divide the batter among the 3 pans, and bake for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick  for doneness. Let cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out cakes onto a wire rack to completely coo.
4. To prepare the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well combined, add vanilla and salt. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar about a half cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Stir in orange zest and frost cake.