Cranberry Cake

4.34 from 3 votes
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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.

Crumbly cranberry cake sliced in pieces.
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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

Moist and flavorful cake filled with cranberries on a serving board and sliced.

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

Ingredients for cranberry cake recipe.

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.

Frozen cranberries mixed with the batter in a mixing bowl.

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.

Batter topped with extra frozen cranberries transferred into a baking loaf pan.

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

Can I use dried cranberries in this recipe?

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.

Can I substitute the sour cream with whipping cream?

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.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe has 361 calories per serving.

A close up shot of cranberry cake revealing sweet dried red cranberries in between the soft and moist texture.

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 FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for new updates.


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4.34 from 3 votes

Cranberry Cake

Easy and quick Cranberry Cake is buttery, with a 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 as one of the best desserts for holidays or any occasion.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 people
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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 12 cm) loaf pan and set it aside.
  • In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, beat unsalted butter with sugar using a hand mixer until creamy and smooth. Add the egg and almond extract, and continue beating until well incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Then, add sour cream and beat until the mixture is smooth. Gently fold in the frozen cranberries, reserving a handful for topping.
  • Transfer the batter to the greased loaf pan. Smooth it out with a spatula and evenly sprinkle the reserved cranberries on top.
  • Bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Allow it to cool slightly in the pan (about 15 to 20 minutes), then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

Recipe Source: Delish
  • 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

Serving: 8people, Calories: 361kcal, Carbohydrates: 53g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 59mg, Sodium: 359mg, Potassium: 83mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 489IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Bee Yinn Low

Bee Yinn Low is a cookbook author and a recipe developer specializing in easy, quick and delicious home cooking. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including TV appearances, live cooking demos, radio interviews, and press mentions in the United States and Asia.

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Recipe Rating





8 Comments

  1. Nayani says:

    5 stars
    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.

  2. Tang Yoon Peng says:

    Can I bake the cake using a rice cooker in the cake baking mode?

    TangYP

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi, I’m sure that would work fine. Do follow the baking instructions given in the manual of your rice cooker.

  3. Stewball says:

    3 stars
    What about dried cranberries?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      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.

  4. Ken Pensmith says:

    5 stars
    The cake is delicious. I donโ€™t what happened but I had in oven for an hour and 40 minutes before it was cooked enough.
    Definitely make again

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      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.