Well well well...did you expect me to make a mini cake for two with part of a cake mix?
I conveniently realized that a cake baked in a 9" square pan becomes two large pieces of cake once stacked and sliced. How many life occasions do you need just two slices of cake? On Mondays? On Fridays for celebrating? Everyday? Let's stick with everyday.
Baking a 9" cake from a cake mix requires 2 cups of cake mix. (To use the remaining 1 cup of cake mix from the box, try my Frosted Eggnog Cookies).
The dreamy part of this cake is the rich cranberry butter. I made my crockpot cranberry butter, and instantly knew that it should be slathered between light, fluffy vanilla cake layers. And the cream cheese vanilla frosting? Well, it's my go-to during the holiday season.
I happen to think dairy makes almost any recipe better. Butter, cream, sour cream, cream cheese--who's with me?
But, sometimes don't be like me---grease your pan:
Cranberry Vanilla Dream Cake (cake mix)
Yellow cake mix with cranberry butter and topped with a cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups dry yellow cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 tablespoon cream
For the cranberry butter:
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons sugar (or honey)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
For the frosting:
- 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- First make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350. Spray an 8x8" pan with cooking spray.
- Combine all the ingredients for the cake and beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Pour into the cake pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the cranberry butter by combining all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until cranberries start to burst, about 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer another 10 minutes, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool completely (better if cooled overnight).
- Make the frosting by combining all ingredients and beating on high speed until light and fluffy.
- When ready to serve, carefully flip the cake out of the pan. Slice it in half (from top to bottom). Add a layer of cranberry butter to one half, then place the other half on top. Frost with cream cheese frosting, and serve.
Notes
Thanks to Audra for the cranberry butter recipe.
The amount of frosting that this makes is only enough to cover what you see in the photo. You can double the recipe for enough frosting to cover the entire cake.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 995Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 268mgSodium: 1092mgCarbohydrates: 152gFiber: 3gSugar: 99gProtein: 14g
Warm Vanilla Sugar says
SO FUN! I love that cranberry butter. Also, loving the new design!
Julie @ Table for Two says
Cranberry vanilla dream cake?! This is definitely a dream come true!! Omg, you're so cute. I wish you lived closer so we could hang out in real life :)
Tieghan says
Oh so pretty!!! I love these flavor of cranberry and vanilla. Such a festive cake!! And I also love the last picture! So cute!
Heather Disarro (@heathersdish) says
GAH! You are so stinking cute :) And I love the new layout! Your site has always been beautiful, but I am in love with this look!
Sharon says
OOoooOo Cranberry butter looks amaaaaaze!!! <3
Julia says
Nature's gatorade, bahahaha! I love it! I drink milk every day too and have been ridiculed profusely for doing such. It's delicious, haters gonna hate. Your cake is looking mighty fine with that frosting and that cranberry butter! Love that you're baking for a cause, my dear! You have such a genuine and warm heart and I want to squeeze you!
Julia says
By the way, I LOVE YOUR NEW LOOK!!!! <3
Christina says
My husband ridicules me! He says 'it's not natural.' Um, ok, honey, drink your grey, watery almond milk. I'll drink the nutritious stuff, thanks :)
Jesse Hermiller says
Do you even know what your feeding in that picture? I'm sorry but the dairy industry is one of the cruelest forms of abuse a mother cow and her baby endure. That bull your feeding is in a veal pen and will be slaughtered in a few months all so that you can drink that babies milk. Please educate yourself.
Christina says
Hi Jesse,
I am educated. I have a Master's degree in agriculture from University of California, Davis. What is your degree?
What I'm feeding in the photo is in fact, a heifer, not a bull. I understand how you feel. My heart felt a tug when the babies were separated from the moms. However, it's the best thing for the health of the cow and heifer. The cow goes back to the herd and returns to her normal diet and heals faster. The heifer, once healthy and strong, joins the herd. Cows love to be milked. Have you ever been on a dairy farm?
Along the veal lines....I used to not eat veal. I found it cruel, too. However, veal is the way for a farmer to thin the heard before winter. Sometimes, cows throw calves late and there isn't enough grass to feed them. We all have to eat, right? I'm not supporting veal farms. Never have, never will. But, I refuse to impose my morals on others and tell them how they should live and eat. It's a waste of breath. Just eat what makes you happy :)
Thanks for writing,
Christina
Colleen Smith says
I agree with you Christina.
Colleen Smith says
I am 61 years old and I have drunk milk almost every day of my life.
Christina says
Yay for milk, Colleen! :)
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
You are officially the cutest person ever. Also, I want to take a nap in the layers of that cake and eat my way out.
Jesse Hermiller says
Dear Christina,
If I came off rude. I apologize. My intention was not to offend you but just to bring awareness to a situation that I don't support. I too have a Masters in Nursing and Education but not Agriculture and I don't feel any less educated on the subject. I completely agree that eat what you want and be happy. When I said please educate yourself I should've said is there are two sides to every story....the cows and ours.
Jess Hermiller
Christina says
No worries, Jesse. It's fantastic that so many people are taking an interest in how their food is produced these days. Let's not ever go back to the days of Orwell's The Jungle. But I really wish people would not villainize farmers. It's the hardest, most dangerous job out there.
Farmers would never be cruel for profit, or use farming practices that aren't sustainable. If they're not acting responsibly, their business ends. It's kinda like paper companies getting a bad reputation for cutting down trees...If they don't ever replant, they would never have a business in the future!
My SIL is in the nursing field. What field do you practice in? She is in labor and delivery :)
Thanks for writing :)
Christina
Jesse Hermiller says
Lol.im a nomad. I teach at three colleges and in my free time I too dabble in OB as a floor nurse.My husband says it keeps the baby fever at bay.lol
Have a wonderful holiday! Keep up the great recipes! Tasty and easy to veganize!
Jess