Cranberry Sheet Cake

Made this delicious cranberry mandarin snack cake last night and it goes perfectly with coffee this morning. Loaded with fresh cranberries, flavored with mandarin juice and zest, topped with creamy mascarpone cheese and sweet cream frosting.

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cranberry snack cake

Cranberry Mandarin Snack Cake

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words “snack cake”? I think of small individual cakes or a sheet cake. A simple cake with a simple layer of frosting with absolutely no decorations. Nothing fancy, no layers, no lavish decoration and custom shapes or designs. However, just because it is simple, it does not mean it can’t be divine. This cranberry mandarin snack cake is both simple and divine!

I bought my first fresh bag of cranberries of the season and I always have mandarins around. This time of year cranberry and orange flavor combinations are so popular in seasonal baking. Here is my version of a quick and easy cranberry mandarin sheet cake with a smooth, creamy marscapone cheese frosting.

The cake itself is moist and perfectly balanced with orange flavor and spiced with ginger powder and cardamom. Every bite has a burst of tart cranberry which is complimented by the sweet and creamy frosting. This cake is the perfect little snacking cake for this time of season.

Now, let’s get to the recipe.

You will need a 13”x9” sheet cake pan. High powered mixer.  

Note: You can use other sizes but the cake may take longer or less time to bake. Also, the thickness will vary. If you use a bigger pan, the cake will be thinner and if you use a smaller pan, it will be thicker.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cake…

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• ⅔ cups whole milk
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup fresh mandarin juice – about two mandarins
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 tablespoon mandarin zest – about two mandarins
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons orange extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the Frosting…

• 8 ounces marscapone cheese
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS:

For the Cake…

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the pan and set aside.
• Place all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk together completely.
• In a separate mixing bowl, mix all wet ingredients.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold until combined. Do not over mix.
• Gently fold in the cranberries.
• Transfer batter into baking pan and bake for 20-24 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Start checking at 20 minutes, since ovens vary. Do not overbake.
• Let cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting…

• Place heavy cream, marscapone cheese and vanilla extract into a bowl and mix with electric mixer. Or, use high powered stand mixer.
• Slowly add powdered sugar and cream of tartar.
• Frost the cooled cake, dust with powdered sugar and mandarin zest, if desired.

Cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. If refrigerated, remove from refrigerator and let sit out for 15-20 minutes before serving. Allowing the cake to come to room temperature will make softer.

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