sugared cranberry and rosemary bundt cake
This year flew by and with Thanksgiving this week, Christmas purchases and planning has commenced in my house. Today, I woke up with a strong desire to use my bundt pan in a very Christmasy way, so I headed to the store for ingredients that remind me of the magical holiday. Of course, cranberries came first to mind and I knew I would incorporate rosemary as well, but I found myself throwing coconut in my cart as well. Coconut cake reminds me of the holidays because it is something my family would make at Christmas gatherings. My dad would eat the whole thing (sorry dad, but its true) and therefore it is on my Christmas menu this year.
I’ve also got a yummy snacking mix to share as well… because what else is there to do while you wait for a cake to bake other than snack?!
I love the way sugared cranberries look on top of a cake, so I got those going right away. They take some time, so they really need to be addressed before anything else. While they are going on top of the cake, I first made a Christmas snack mix with them, some Rice Chex cereal and other ingredients. I wanted to stick with the same flavors as the cake, so I threw in toasted coconut, nuts, a bit of finely chopped rosemary, salty pretzel pieces and toffee bits. Feel free to swap out ingredients for whatever you have in your pantry – that is the beauty of a snack mix.
The key parts of any good mix are :sweet, salty, tart and savory with all kinds of textures. In this mix, the tart cranberries pop in your mouth, which is definitely the highlight of the mix. The white chocolate drizzle adds the sweetness and the surprising rosemary, a savory pop. Rice Chex, the pretzels and nuts provide the perfect crunchy texture, which is probably most important – everyone loves a good crunch!
Sweet and Salty Party Mix
- 1/2 cup Chex Cereal
- 1/2 cup pretzels, broken
- 1/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, broken
- 1/4 cup toffee bits
- 1 Tbl rosemary, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup white chocolate
- Assemble every ingredient except the white chocolate in a bowl.
- Melt white chocolate. Drizzle over dry ingredients and mix with hands to combine.
Okay, so let’s get to the main event – the cake! I used a Betty Crocker SuperMoist Yellow Cake Mix today, which was really great since I didn’t have a lot of time. Not all boxed cake mixes are created equal but I always have good luck with Betty Crocker, so I stick with her. This mix made the perfect cake for me – moist and fluffy. If you want an even moister cake, you can always use milk instead of water – that’s a good trick – and of course, be super careful not to overbake!
For this bunt, I used a spiral or swirl bundt pan and on top of the cake I schmeared on a bit of white icing. I chose Betty Crocker icing since this was a cake of convenience and simply warmed it up a bit so it was easier to spread. Then came the coconut flake snow and the rosemary trees in between each cake peak with a sugared cranberry. Sugared cranberries also went in the middle and around the edge because every slice needs many yummy cranberries!
I cannot get over the festive colors of this cake – the deep cranberry red, the fresh green and the pure white. Technically, you could serve this cake any time of year but it definitely says “Christmas” without beating you over the head with the holiday. I think this cake is a very elegant one and it is just right for any event during the winter season!
I bought every ingredient used in these two recipes at WinCo. This was my first trip ever to WinCo (it is in a neighboring city and I didn’t realize it was there until now) but not my last. Actually, now that I know how amazing WinCo is, I’ll be more prepared next time with a bigger list! One of my favorite parts about the store, besides it being open 24 hours, is the convenient bulk bins that allow you to get the exact amount of your ingredients, from quinoa to coffee.
Before you head out to WinCo, download these coupons:
• Save $1 on Bulk Foods when you buy four Better Crocker SuperMoist Cake Mix or Ready to Spread Frosting (any flavors / varieties)
• Save $1 on Bulk Foods when you buy any two boxes of Chex cereal (any flavors / varieties)
sugared cranberry and coconut bundt cake
- 1 Betty Crocker SumperMoist Yellow Cake Mix
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- buttermilk frosting
- sugared cranberries
- rosemary sprigs
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- Prepare the cake per instructions, subbing in coconut milk and oil.
- After the cake has cooled, smooth icing over the top, sprinkle on coconut flakes, apply rosemary sprigs and sugared cranberries.
The Author
41 Comments
My fave is Tres Leches Cake
Your recipes look so festive. never thought to put cranberries in a Chex Mix.
My favourite Holiday cake is Cherry Cheesecake.
My favorite is Chocolate-Mint cake. YUM!
Old family recipe: Chubby Choco
German Chocolate
My favorite holiday cake is pumpkin cheesecake
My favorite is a butterscotch nut torte that I make for holidays.
I like chocolate cake
I like red velvet cake during the holidays
I like pumpkin or gingerbread cake during the holidays.
red velvet!
My favorite Holiday cake is a cherry vanilla buttercream cake.
I like carrot cake for the holidays
My favorite holiday cake is fruitcake.
I like a spice cake.
I love chocolate cake with candy canes crushed on top.
Tipsy Parson cake is my favorite holiday cake!
That cake looks AMAZING! I’m going to have to try it. My favorite all time cake is Pineapple Upside Down Cake.
Angel food with a chocolate icing is my favorite cake for the holidays. Something called Angel food fits this holy season.
german chocolate cake
I do like a chocolate layer cake with whipped cream frosting.
Angel Food Cake for the win!
My favorite holiday cake is sweet potato cheesecake!
I love chocolate cake.
Oh I love chocolate cake with chocolate frosting!
What is your favorite holiday cake?
I like a nice carrot cake thanks
My favorite holiday cake is german chocolate cake!
My favorite holiday cake is cheesecake.
My favorite Holiday cake is Cherry Cheesecake
My favorite Holiday Cake is Red Velvet Cake.
a pumpkin spice bundt cake
My favorite is a Tres Leches Cake. Sooooo good.
My grandmas german chocolate cake!
My favorite is mint chocolate cake! But I love pie more… especially cream cheese pie. Yummm!!
My favorite Holiday cake is coconut cake!
I really like Red Velvet cake. Thank you
My favorite holiday cake is ice cream cake….any kind!
I like Angel Food Cake!
I like fruit cake
chocolate is always my fav