This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
Easy and quick Cranberry Cake is buttery, tender crumb, and has a balanced sweetness thanks to the burst of tart cranberries infused in the center. It's effortless to prepare and serves the best dessert for holidays or any occasion.
Cranberry Cake Recipe
Cranberry cake is one of the best desserts for Christmas and holidays. It’s rich, buttery, and infused with a fruity flavor that is absolutely delightful and perfect for the season. The secret of this recipe is the sour cream which adds both moisture and a slight tanginess to the cake, enhancing its texture and flavor.
This delicious cake is a true embodiment of the holiday season, offering the perfect balance of sweet and tart, soft and moist, a treat that will be cherished by all who gather around your table.
Why This Recipe Works
Cranberry cake is 100% fail-proof and easy to prepare. Gather all ingredients from your local grocer, and beat them all together until creamy. Transfer to a greased loaf pan, and they’re ready to go. It tastes much better than the one from local pastry store.
It’s always great to prepare the dessert ahead of time during busy days. Once the cake has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it fresh. Store it at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. You may also keep it in the refrigerator for a longer time.
This cake is suitable for a variety of occasions, from holiday gatherings to everyday treats. Serve it with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it will be irresistible.
Recipe Ingredients
This ultimate cranberry cake recipe calls for only a few basic baking ingredients:
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Unsalted butter
- Caster sugar
- Egg
- Almond extract
- Sour cream
- Fresh or frozen cranberries
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Cranberry Cake
Grab the ingredients and let’s make it.
First, preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F), and grease the loaf pan.
Next, whisk all dry ingredients in a bowl and set it aside.
Beat butter with sugar until creamy, then add egg and almond extract. Continue beating until all ingredients are incorporated. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ones.
Smooth out the texture with sour cream, and fold in frozen cranberries.
Finally, drop a handful of cranberries on top of the cake and bake it until golden brown. Your favorite cranberry cake is ready to serve.
Baking Tips
To make the best cranberry cake, please follow my tips below:
- Fresh or frozen cranberries work well for cranberry cake. If using frozen cranberries, there’s no need to thaw them; you can use them directly from the freezer.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the cake tough. Mix until just combined once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.
- The cake is soft and tender when it’s hot out of the oven. Let it cool in the pan for a while to prevent it from falling apart. Then, transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
While fresh or frozen cranberries are the traditional choices for a cranberry cake recipe, you can use dried cranberries if you’re in a pinch. If you decide to use dried cranberries, you may want to soak them briefly in warm water, orange juice, or rum to rehydrate them a bit before adding them to the batter. This can help prevent them from absorbing too much moisture from the cake and add more flavors to the final taste.
Yes, you can substitute sour cream with whipping cream in a cranberry cake recipe. Whipping cream adds more fat and moisture to the batter. You can generally use whipping cream in a 1:1 ratio. Make sure to beat the whipping cream until it forms soft peaks before adding it to the batter to help maintain the desired texture.
This recipe has 361 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Cranberry Cake
Pair this cranberry cake these beloved Christmas dishes to end your festive feast on a sweet note.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Cranberry Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking powder
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) caster sugar
- 1 (40 g without shell) egg
- 1/2 teaspoon (4 g) almond extract
- 1/2 cup (123 g) sour cream
- 2 cups (120 g ) frozen cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F). Grease a 9" x 5" (23 x 12cm) loaf pan and set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder, and set this mixture aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat unsalted butter with sugar using a hand mixer until it becomes creamy and smooth. Add egg and almond extract, and continue beating until they're well incorporated. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Then, add sour cream, and beat until the mixture is smooth. Fold in frozen cranberries, leaving a handful for topping.
- Transfer the batter to a loaf pan. Smooth out the batter with a spatula, and evenly sprinkle the remaining cranberries on top.
- Bake for 1 hour or until the top is golden brown, and insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.
- Allow it to cool slightly in the pan (about 15 to 20 minutes), then transfer it onto a cooling rack to let it cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Fresh or frozen cranberries work well for cranberry cake. If using frozen cranberries, there’s no need to thaw them; you can use them directly from the freezer.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the cake tough. Mix until just combined once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.
- The cake is soft and tender when it’s hot out of the oven. Let it cool in the pan for a while to prevent it from falling apart. Then, transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This turned out great! I substituted buttermilk for sour cream since I was out, and it still tasted delicious. Your recipes are so easy to follow, Bee! Thanks a lot for sharing.
Thanks for trying my cranberry cake recipe and the 5 stars rating. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipes/
Can I bake the cake using a rice cooker in the cake baking mode?
TangYP
Hi, I’m sure that would work fine. Do follow the baking instructions given in the manual of your rice cooker.
What about dried cranberries?
Yes, you can use dried cranberries. However, you will need to reduce the amount by one quarter as dried cranberries are a lot sweeter than fresh or frozen ones. So in this recipe, use 1 1/2 cups.
The cake is delicious. I don’t what happened but I had in oven for an hour and 40 minutes before it was cooked enough.
Definitely make again
Hi Ken. Glad that you liked the cake. Perhaps your oven temperature runs a little lower. Most of our ovens tend to run either hotter or cooler than the actual temperature.