• Prepare the Cake Pan. Preheat your oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8 inch round cake pan and place a parchment circle on the bottom. This helps the cake bake evenly and release cleanly once cooled.
• Mix the Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until everything looks evenly combined. This prevents dense areas in the cake.
• Cream the Butter and Sugar. In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar for a full three minutes. The mixture should become very pale, fluffy, and lighter in texture. This step is what gives the cake its soft, delicate crumb.
• Add the Egg Whites and Extracts. Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each addition so the batter stays smooth. Add the vanilla and the almond extract if you are using it.
• Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients. Add half of the dry mixture to the bowl and mix on low until combined. Add the milk and sour cream and let them blend in. Add the remaining dry mixture and mix just until the batter becomes smooth. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together to avoid a dense cake.
• Fill the Cake Pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. It should fill the pan slightly above halfway but below two thirds. This amount rises into the perfect single layer cake without spilling over.
• Bake the Cake. Bake for 28 to 34 minutes. The cake is done when the top gently springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool the Cake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully invert it onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before frosting. The cake must be fully cooled or the buttercream will melt.

Buttercream Frosting and Decorating Instructions

• Make the Buttercream. Beat the butter until it becomes pale, smooth, and creamy. Add the powdered sugar gradually on low speed so it incorporates without clumping. Add one tablespoon of cream or milk at a time until the frosting becomes smooth, soft, and pipeable. Add the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Then beat the frosting for an additional two to three minutes to lighten and aerate it. This gives you a very smooth, silky buttercream that pipes beautifully.
• How to Pipe the Loops Without Needing Special Tools

  If you have a round piping tip, fill a piping bag fitted with the tip. If you do not have a tip, simply cut the end of a piping bag to create a round opening that is about the size of a standard round tip. If you do not have piping bags at all, a large zip top bag works perfectly. Add the frosting, push it into one corner, and cut a small opening at the corner.Hold the bag straight above the cake and pipe small loops or rounded mounds across the surface. Aim for loops that have a little height so you can shape them in the next step.
• Shape the Loops Into Petals Using a Kitchen Teaspoon. After piping the loops, take a clean kitchen teaspoon and gently place the back of the spoon at the center of one piped loop. Drag the spoon inward toward the center of the cake. This pulls the frosting into a soft petal shape.Repeat this process around the cake, creating your first full row of petals.

  Continue piping loops and dragging them inward to create a second row, slightly overlapping the first row for a fuller, layered look. Repeat again for a third row. Each row should move slightly closer to the center of the cake. The petal effect gives a snowy, elevated finish that looks intricate but is very easy once you get the rhythm.

  Leave the center of the cake flat. This creates the perfect space for adding your sugared cranberries.

Sugared Cranberries

• Prepare the Simple Syrup. Warm the water and 1 cup of granulated sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup looks clear.
• Submerge the Cranberries. Remove the pan from the heat and add the fresh cranberries. Cranberries float, so gently press a small bowl or plate on top to keep them fully submerged. This helps them absorb the syrup evenly.
• Soak Overnight. Let the cranberries sit uncovered in the syrup overnight. This gives them time to soak up the syrup, become sweeter, and develop a glossy surface.
• Coat in Sugar. The next day, lift the cranberries from the syrup with a slotted spoon and let the excess drip off. Roll them in 1/2 cup granulated sugar until coated. Let them sit for several minutes to dry. They will look frosted and sparkling.
• Decorate the Cake. Place a small mound of sugared cranberries in the center of the frosted cake. The contrast of the sparkling berries against the snowy frosting completes the winter theme.