🎄 Christmas Cranberry Poke Cake 🎄

A festive and flavorful cranberry poke cake that’s perfect for the holiday season! With cranberry sauce, a fluffy cake, and creamy frosting, this dessert is both beautiful and delicious.

✅️Ingredients:

Cranberry Sauce:

12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries 🍒

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 🍊

1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar 🍬

¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 🍂

Dash of ginger and nutmeg (optional) 🌱

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 ½ tablespoons water 💧

Cake:

16.25 oz box white cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box) 🍰

1 tablespoon red sprinkles ❤️

1 tablespoon green sprinkles 💚

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened 🧀

1 cup powdered sugar 🍥

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 🌼

2 ½ cups whipped topping (or 1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream) 🍦

Garnish:

3.5 oz white chocolate, finely chopped 🍫

1 tablespoon coconut oil 🥥

1/3 cup dried cranberries 🍒

Instructions:

Cranberry Sauce:

1️⃣ In a large saucepan, place cranberries and sprinkle with sugar. Let sit for a few minutes, then add orange juice and stir. Optionally, add cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for extra warmth and spice. 

2️⃣ Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the cranberries soften and burst, and some liquid evaporates. 

3️⃣ Add the cornstarch slurry, whisk in, and cook until thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Cool slightly, then mash cranberries or pulse in a food processor, leaving small chunks if desired. Set aside to cool.

Cake:

4️⃣ Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with baking spray. 

5️⃣ Prepare the cake mix according to the box instructions. Gently stir in red and green sprinkles, being careful not to overmix, to keep the colors bright. 

6️⃣ Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake as directed. After baking, cool the cake for a few minutes, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes about an inch apart, 2/3 deep into the cake. Cool for 15-20 minutes

. 7️⃣ Spoon or pour cranberry sauce into the holes and spread any remaining sauce over the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.

Frosting:

8️⃣ Beat softened cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until creamy. 

9️⃣ If using whipped topping, fold it into the cream cheese mixture. For homemade whipped cream, beat heavy cream to stiff peaks before folding it into the cream cheese mixture. Adjust sweetness as desired

. 🔟 Spread the frosting evenly over the chilled cake.

Garnish:

1️⃣1️⃣ Sprinkle dried cranberries on top of the frosting.

 1️⃣2️⃣ Melt white chocolate with coconut oil, transfer to a ziplock bag, snip the corner, and drizzle over the cake.

Store cake in the fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy your festive creation!

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