Nutcracker Christmas Cakes
8 Individual Nutcracker Cakes
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cup granulated sugar (plus more for the glaze)
Grated zest of 2 large navel oranges (save the oranges for the glaze)
1 tsp vanilla paste
6 large eggs, room temperature
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp fine sea salt
1/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and cooled
10 ounces white chocolate chips
Glaze:
Juice of the 2 oranges
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
A dash of fine sea salt
1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2) Coarsely chop the cranberries and lightly toast the flaked coconut. Let the coconut cool completely before folding into the cake batter.
3) Spray two “Nordic Ware Nutcracker Pans” with cooking spray with flour and set aside.
4) In a standing mixer, beat the sugar together with the orange zest until the oils are fully distributed and the sugar looks a bit wet.
5) Add in the butter and vanilla paste and mix until very light and fluffy.
6) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, allspice and sea salt. Since there is a good amount of baking powder, you will want it evenly distributed. Set aside.
7) Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed butter/sugar mixture and beat well after each addition. Add the dry mix and beat until no dry streaks remain. Then fold in the buttermilk by hand.
8) Lightly fold in the coarsely chopped cranberries, toasted coconut and white chocolate chips.
9) Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and bake on a center rack for 30-35 minutes, checking for doneness with a wooden skewer (if it comes out clean, the cakes is done).
10) While the cakes bakes, make your glaze: In a small saucepan, whisk together the orange juice, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and pour into a glass measuring cup to have at the ready.
11) Once your cakes have come out of the oven, let them cool in the pans for 10-12 minutes. Invert the cakes onto a wire rack and spoon the glaze over the cakes, letting it fully seep into the cakes. When fully cool, dust the cakes lightly with confectioner’s sugar.
