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reheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature.
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In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and soda, and mix.
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In your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend butter, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla at medium speed until pale and fluffy.
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Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
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Reduce speed to low and add a cup of flour followed by ⅓ of the buttermilk. Repeat this 3 times, until you have incorporated all the flour and buttermilk.
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Grease two 8in cake pans or 3 6in pans.
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Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan and allow to completely cool on a cooling rack.
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To make the frosting, beat the butter and orange zest on medium high until pale.
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Mix in powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla on low until incorporated.
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Increase mixer speed to medium high and beat for 5 minutes.
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To assemble the cake, spread ¼ cup of frosting on the first layer of cake.
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Top the frosting with ½ cup of cranberry sauce, then top with next cake layer. Repeat with all of the layers.
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Frost the outer part of the cake and top with fresh or sugared cranberries and freshly grated orange zest.