White Cake with Cranberry Filling and Orange Buttercream

FILLING:
1 (12-oz.) jar cherry preserves
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup fresh orange juice
3 ½ cups fresh cranberries (frozen cranberries, thawed, may be substituted)

WHITE CAKE:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon loosely packed orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 cup milk
8 large egg whites
Shortening

BUTTERCREAM:
1 cup butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 (32-oz.) package powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk (optional)

Prepare Filling: Bring first 3 ingredients and 3 cups cranberries to a boil in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until cranberries
begin to pop. Transfer 1 cup cranberry mixture to a small bowl, and stir in remaining ½ cup
whole cranberries. (This will be the Cranberry Topping.) Transfer remaining hot Cranberry
Filling mixture to another small bowl. Cool both mixtures completely (1 hour). Cover; chill 8
hours.

Prepare White Cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric
stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add orange zest
and vanilla; beat until blended. Combine flour and next 2 ingredients; add to butter mixture
alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until
blended after each addition. Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir about
one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites in 2 batches. Spoon into 3
greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes
or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10
minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
Prepare Buttercream: Beat butter and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with an
electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with
orange juice. Beat at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
If desired, add 1 to 2 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, beating until frosting reaches desired
consistency.

Assemble Cake: Place 1 Basic White Cake layer on a serving platter. Spoon 1 ½ cups
buttercream into a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole.
Pipe a ring of frosting around cake layer just inside the top edge. Spread cake layer with half
of chilled Cranberry Filling (without whole berries), spreading to edge of piped frosting. Top
with second cake layer. Repeat procedure with frosting and remaining Cranberry Filling
(without whole berries). Top with third layer. Spread remaining buttercream over top and
sides of cake. Pipe a ring of frosting around top cake layer just inside the top edge. Spread
Cranberry Topping (with whole berries) over top cake layer, spreading to edge of piped
frosting.

Tips: Cake layers may be baked in 3 (8-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans. Increase bake time to 26 to 30 minutes.