Rich, festive and visually striking, this layered white chocolate and cranberry cake blends tender almond sponge, a jammy cranberry layer and a creamy white chocolate coconut filling. It’s designed to be the centerpiece of holiday gatherings, with sugared cranberries and shredded coconut giving it a snowy, celebratory look.
Why this white chocolate cranberry layered cake stands out
This dessert combines contrasting flavors and textures. The almond-based cake is tender and buttery. A bright, slightly tart cranberry filling cuts through the sweetness. The white chocolate coconut custard adds a silky, tropical note.
Serve it for Christmas, Thanksgiving or any winter celebration. You can make parts ahead to ease the final assembly.
Ingredients for each component
Gather everything before you begin. Below are the components and amounts for a three-layer 9-inch cake.
Cake layers (3 rounds)
- 7 large egg whites
- 1 3/4 cups (210 g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 3.5 oz (100 g) toasted almonds, finely ground
- 1 cup (100 g) sifted cake flour
Cranberry filling
- 1 lb (450 g) fresh cranberries (frozen works too)
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup cranberry juice (or raspberry juice)
- 5 tablespoons corn starch
White chocolate coconut custard filling
- 7 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups milk, divided
- 2 packets (3 oz each) coconut cream cook-and-serve pudding mix
- 10 oz (280 g) white chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Decoration and sugared cranberries
- 3/4 cup finely shredded coconut
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries for sugaring
- 6 tablespoons water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
Step-by-step: prepare, bake and assemble
Make the sparkled cranberries
- Combine 6 tablespoons water and 6 tablespoons sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cranberries. Coat them thoroughly and let sit five minutes.
- Lift berries with a slotted spoon onto a wire rack. Let them dry until sticky, about one hour.
- Roll sticky berries in the remaining sugar in small batches. Lay on parchment and dry another hour.
- Store sugared cranberries in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Bake the almond cake layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 9-inch round pans with parchment.
- Brown the butter gently in a saucepan until nutty. Cool to room temperature.
- Whip egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue to whip.
- Fold in the cooled browned butter, ground almonds and sifted cake flour until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly among pans. Smooth tops and bake 18–20 minutes until edges pull away and tops are light golden.
- Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to a rack and peel off parchment. Place each cake with the flat side down.
Cook the cranberry filling
- Mix the corn starch with 1/4 cup of the cranberry juice to dissolve. Set aside.
- In a saucepan combine cranberries, sugar and remaining juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until berries burst, 8–10 minutes.
- Mash slightly while cooking to reach a jam-like texture.
- Stir in the corn starch slurry and cook 2–3 more minutes until thick. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- When cool, leave a clean margin of about 1/2 inch around each cake layer when spreading the filling.
Prepare the white chocolate coconut custard
- Dissolve the coconut pudding mixes in 1 cup cold milk and set aside.
- Whisk egg yolks with sugar. Heat 1 cup milk in a saucepan, then whisk in the yolk mixture.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. Do not stop stirring to avoid scrambling.
- Add the dissolved pudding and cook 2–3 minutes more until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped white chocolate until melted and smooth. Cool, cover with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
- Beat the softened butter with powdered sugar until light. Whip the heavy cream until thick and fold into the butter mixture.
- Combine the cooled chocolate custard with the butter-cream mixture for a silky filling.
Assemble the cake
- Place the first cake round on a serving plate. Optional: use a 9-inch springform ring to stabilize the build.
- Spread a layer of the cranberry filling onto the cake, leaving the edges clean.
- Top with about one third of the white chocolate coconut filling. Repeat with the second layer.
- Finish with the third cake round and a final spread of custard. Chill 1–2 hours to firm.
- Remove the ring. Use reserved filling to coat the sides and smooth the top.
- Press shredded coconut onto the sides and top for a snowy effect.
- Pipe decorative swirls with any remaining filling and place the sugared cranberries in the center.
- Keep refrigerated. The cake stores well for up to one week. For best appearance, add cranberries shortly before serving.
Timing, yields and handy tips for success
- Prep time: about 2 hours active work plus chilling.
- Cook time: roughly 30 minutes for bake and fillings.
- Total time: allow around 5 hours including chilling and setting.
- Yield: serves about 12–16 slices depending on portion size.
- Make the cranberry filling and sugared berries a day ahead to save time.
- Brown butter adds depth; don’t skip it.
- Chill the custard until cool before combining with whipped butter, to prevent melting.
- Frozen cranberries work for the filling, but fresh give a brighter texture for sugared berries.
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