Here’s a bright, zesty, and festive Cranberry Orange Cake—moist, flavorful, and perfect for holidays, brunch, or any special occasion.
🍊🍒 Cranberry Orange Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tsp orange zest
- ½ cup sour cream or yogurt
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (if frozen, do not thaw)
Glaze (optional but recommended):
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp orange juice
- ½ tsp orange zest
Instructions
1. Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan or a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar
In a large bowl, beat:
- Butter
- Sugar
Until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla extract.
4. Combine wet ingredients
Mix together:
- Orange juice
- Orange zest
- Sour cream
Gradually add wet ingredients to butter mixture, mixing until combined.
5. Add dry ingredients
Gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
Fold in cranberries carefully, so they don’t break and color the batter too much.
6. Bake
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake 35–45 minutes (for 9×13) or 50–55 minutes (for round pan), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10–15 minutes in pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
7. Glaze (optional)
- Mix powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest until smooth.
- Drizzle over warm or cooled cake.
8. Serve
- Slice and serve as is, or with whipped cream or a dollop of mascarpone.
⭐ Tips
- Cranberry tip: Toss cranberries with 1–2 tbsp flour before adding to batter to prevent sinking.
- Orange flavor boost: Add ½ tsp orange extract for a more intense flavor.
- Moisture: Using sour cream or yogurt keeps the cake tender and moist.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
I can also provide a bundt pan version with a crunchy pecan topping, or a cranberry-orange loaf with streusel if you want a slightly different presentation.
Do you want one of those variations?
