Description
Festive Christmas Cranberry Poke Cake weaves holiday magic through layers of moist vanilla cake and tart cranberry glaze. Sweet cream cheese frosting crowns this seasonal dessert, inviting you to savor Christmas cheer with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 box (15.25 ounces / 432 grams) white cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) water
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) vegetable oil
Cranberry Layer:
- 1 can (14 ounces / 397 grams) cranberry sauce (whole berry or jellied)
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) water
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
Topping:
- 1 container (8 ounces / 226 grams) whipped topping
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red and green sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare the cake foundation by following box mix instructions, combining ingredients thoroughly. Bake in a greased 9×13-inch pan at 350F (175C) for 25-30 minutes until golden. Allow cake to rest and cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Create a vibrant cranberry glaze by simmering cranberry sauce with water and sugar in a saucepan. Blend ingredients until smooth and let cool slightly.
- Transform the cake’s surface by puncturing uniform holes across the entire cake using a wooden spoon handle or straw, ensuring approximately 1-inch spacing between perforations.
- Gently cascade the warm cranberry mixture over the cake, enabling the liquid to penetrate deeply into the created holes. This process infuses the dessert with rich, tangy flavor.
- Refrigerate the cake for a minimum of 2 hours, allowing the cranberry mixture to set and flavors to meld completely.
- Whip the topping with a hint of vanilla extract, then spread evenly across the chilled cake surface, creating a smooth, creamy layer.
- Enhance the visual appeal by sprinkling red and green decorative sprinkles across the cake’s surface for a festive touch.
- Slice into individual servings and present the chilled cake, ready to delight holiday guests.
Notes
- Enhance cake mix flavor by adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond extract to the batter for deeper, richer taste.
- For gluten-free option, substitute regular cake mix with a gluten-free box mix and ensure all ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Create uniform holes by using the back of a wooden spoon handle or a chilled drinking straw to prevent cake from crumbling.
- Reduce sugar content by using sugar-free cranberry sauce or replacing some sugar with a natural sweetener like stevia for a lighter dessert.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 257 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 243 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg