Description
This Cranberry Christmas Cake is a festive, moist cake bursting with fresh cranberries and a hint of orange zest and almond extract. Perfect for holiday breakfasts or dessert, it combines the tangy brightness of cranberries with a buttery, soft crumb, making it a delightful seasonal treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 orange, zested (about 2 teaspoons loose zest)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Fruit
- 2 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with baking spray or use a homemade cake release to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Beat Sugar and Eggs: In a mixing bowl, beat the granulated sugar with eggs for 5 minutes until the mixture doubles in size and becomes pale and fluffy, ensuring a light cake texture.
- Add Butter and Extracts: Incorporate the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest into the egg and sugar mixture. Beat for an additional 2-3 minutes until all ingredients are well combined and smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt to the wet mixture and gently mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Fold in Cranberries: Carefully fold the fresh cranberries into the batter, distributing them evenly without crushing.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 42-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before serving. This enhances the flavors and ensures easy slicing.
Notes
- Prepare the baking pan: Spray your dish well with baking spray before adding the batter or use a homemade cake release to prevent sticking.
- Zesting an orange: Use a handheld grater or zesting tool to carefully remove just the orange-colored zest, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
- Storing: Keep leftover cranberry cake covered at room temperature and consume within 5 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
- Serve this sweet cake for breakfast during the holidays with a mug of hot chocolate or eggnog for a festive touch.
- See blog post for additional tips and recipe variations.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/15th of cake)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
