Cranberry Bliss Bars -- a la Starbucks

(15 servings)

  • For Cake Base:
  • 2 sticks margarine (or butter if you want to indulge) - softened
  • 1 and 1/4 cups brown sugar - packed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup minced dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup Lindt or Perugina or other quality white chocolate - coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup minced candied ginger

  • For Frosting:
  • 4 ounce cream cheese - softened
  • 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons butter - softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • For Garnish:
  • 2 Tablespoons minced dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips (e.g. Ghiradelli or Guittard) -- melted
Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

Beat butter and sugar together for the cake base, and add eggs/vanilla beating until fluffy. Sift together flour, ginger, and salt and then add to the butter/sugar mixture beating well. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate and ginger. Spread thick batter in pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden.

When cake is cooled, mix all frosting ingredients together and spread a thin layer over the cake. Immediately sprinkle with the minced cranberries. Then use a cake decorating bag of melted white chocolate with a tiny decorating tip (like the size used for writing on cakes) and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.

Cut this into bars immediately because the white chocolate hardens pretty fast and makes cake cutting messy.

Note From Mr Breakfast:
You wouldn't believe how many emails I receive about Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bars. This version of the recipe was emailed to me by a great breakfast lover named Gerry. Both Gerry and myself are anxious to know what you think and how they compare to the real deal at Starbucks. Hope you enjoy them! Thanks for the recipe Gerry!


User reviews for this popular recipe have been very good. Hope you enjoy them! Please be sure to read the additional comments on this one.


Mr Breakfast would like to thank Mr Breakfast for this recipe.

Recipe number 1140. Submitted 11/20/2003.