• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Beans and Legumes
    • dairy-free
    • Freezer-friendly
    • Make Ahead Recipes
    • Whole Grain Recipes
  • Weeknight Meals
    • Quick & Easy
    • Slow Cooker
  • Baked Goods and Desserts
    • Breads
    • Cakes and Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Egg-Free Baking
    • Muffins
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Beans and Legumes (V)
    • Breads (v)
    • Breakfast (V)
    • Vegan Cookie Recipes
    • Desserts (v)
    • Mains and Dinners (V)
    • Salads (V)
    • Snacks (v)
    • Soup (V)
    • Whole Grains (V)
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • about
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy

The In Fine Balance Food Blog logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • WFPB
  • GF
  • Sweet Things
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Recipe index
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
    • WFPB
    • GF
    • Sweet Things
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • Recipe index
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    You are here: Home » bake

    Published: Nov 21, 2020 · Modified: Nov 13, 2021 by Trish · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

    Orange and Cranberry Cake

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A bright and sweet bundt cake filled with tart cranberries and lightly scented with fresh orange zest. Festive and perfect for Christmas with bright red cranberries sprinkled throughout. Serve in thin slices for a crowd or with a dollop of whipped cream.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time55 mins
    Total Time1 hr 15 mins
    Servings: 16 slices
    Calories: 323kcal
    Baked Goods
    Dessert

    When fresh cranberries arrive in the stores I can't wait to start baking. This Orange and Cranberry Cake is so good. Sweet and tart and smells like a Christmas hug.

    cranberry cake on a serving plater with orange glaze drizzled on cake

    I love fresh cranberries, especially for baking. They add such an intense and happy pop of red to baked goods. This time of year, next time you run into the grocery store, grab a couple of bags 🙂

    Everything you need to know about this recipe

    As much as I love using fresh cranberries, frozen will do just fine in this recipe. Actually frozen cranberries are ingenious. If you happen to get over excited at the grocery store when you see fresh cranberries for the first time, know that you can throw that bag straight in the freezer and it will be good for months.

    Fresh cranberries will keep refrigerated for several weeks. Frozen for several months.

    This cake is made with fresh, raw or frozen cranberries. You don't need to cook them first. See this post for more info about baking with fresh cranberries.

    More great cranberry recipes for cakes, cookies and baked goods for the holidays

    • Cranberry apple muffins
    • Cranberry ginger snack cake {vegan}
    • Cranberry Cashew Breakfast Muffins {vegan, wholegrain}
    • Cranberry Ginger Christmas Cookies

    This cake is made with greek yogurt. A little trick I discovered several years ago. You can generally sub Greek yogurt anytime a recipe calls for sour cream. It helps cut the fat of the recipe a little without sacrificing texture or flavour. Of course, you can use sour cream here too. Personally, I rarely have sour cream in my fridge, but there is always a tub of plain Greek yogurt, I use it for so much. So this is one substitution I've learned to appreciate.

    Making the cake

    You are gonna need a few bowls. But measuring everything first will save you time in the end.

    Start with softened butter and warm eggs. Take these out first and give them time to warm up before you start.

    orange and orange zest

    Zest the orange, set the zest aside in a small bowl. And toss with a little bit of flour - see tip below! . Save the orange, you can use the juice for the glaze.

    Prepare the pan. I used a standard bundt pan for this recipe. Bundt pans always make me a bit nervous because of the all the edges and ridges, I'm always afraid the cake will stick and be ruined. It's happened to me more than once. I've found Pam On-Stick Baking Spray is the best thing for this. It really is wonderful stuff. And easy to find too. A must if you want to use a fancier pan like this, or this.

    Prepare the cranberries. Pick through the berries. You can wash them first, but be sure they are very dry before starting with this step. Pick through, you will always find a soft or mushy one somewhere in the bag. Toss the clean and dry berries into a small bowl and toss with a bit of flour. This helps the berries "float" in the batter so they stay well distributed throughout the cake.

    fresh cranberries dusted with flour
    when adding cranberries to baked goods toss them in a bit of flour so they don't sink in your batter

    TIP: Tossing the berries with a bit of flour before adding them to the batter helps them remain evenly distributed throughout the cake, so they don't sink to the bottom of the cake pan. I often do this with orange and lemon zest too if I am using in a recipe.

    Measure the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together in a small bowl. Set aside

    Cream butter and sugar in a standmixer until light and fluffy. This will take a couple of minutes. Don't rush it. And make sure the butter is room temperature. Start on low speed and then once fully mixed, increase the speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.

    cranberry cake batter, cranberries are just stirred in to evenly distribute them
    evenly distribute cranberries in batter

    Add eggs, one at a time. Turn the mixer speed done a bit first. Fully mix in each egg, but don't beat too hard. Just mix it in fully. Add vanilla too.

    Alternate flour, yogurt, flour. Fully mixing the after each addition, but again, not a high speed. You don't want to beat at this stage, you want a fluffy creamy batter. But if you over mix, your cake will be tough. Remove from the mixer.

    Mix in berries and zest. BY HAND. Be gentle and just mix to evenly distribute throughout the batter. Pour into the prepared cake pan.

    cranberry orange cake batter in a bundt cake pan
    i like this cake made in a bundt pan for easy presentation

    Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

    cranberry bundt cake removed from cake pan and on a cooling rack to cool completely before adding glaze
    cranberry orange cake removed from cake pan to cool, cool completely before adding glaze

    Cool completely. Once the cake comes out of the oven, let it cool for about 15 minutes before you try to remove it from the cake pan. I like to use a thin paring knife to gently ease the cake from the center of the cake pan and around the edges. Place a serving plate, upside down and overtop the cake pan, then quickly and carefully flip everything over in one go. Cross your fingers! and the cake will slide right out onto the plate.

    All to cool complete before adding glaze. Cool with the flat side of the cake facing down, just as you would serve it.

    Serve. Drizzled with orange glaze.

    Serving and storage

    Leftover, glazed cake will keep at room temperature in a covered container for 2 days. It storing longer, keep refrigerated up to 5 days. You may find the cake becomes moister as it sits and the glaze will soak in, becoming less apparent.

    I recommend making the cake the day you want to serve it, or prepare it ahead and freeze the cake only.

    cranberry cake sliced on a serving platter, you can see the red cranberries throughout the cake
    fresh cranberries pop with bright red colour inside the cake

    Freezing:

    This Orange and Cranberry Cake freezes nicely. To freeze be sure the cake has completely cooled then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. It will keep wrapped like this for 2-3 months.

    Do not frost before freezing.

    To thaw, take out and unwrap. Allow to sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours before serving. Once thawed, make glaze and drizzle over the cake.

    5 from 3 votes

    Orange and Cranberry Bundt Cake

    A bright and sweet bundt cake filled with tart cranberries and lightly scented with fresh orange zest. Festive and perfect for Christmas with bright red cranberries sprinkled throughout. Serve in thin slices for a crowd or with a dollop of whipped cream.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time55 mins
    Total Time1 hr 15 mins
    Servings: 16 slices
    Calories: 323kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 12 oz fresh cranberries usually found in 12 oz bags
    • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 8 oz
    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 4 large eggs
    • ½ cup greek yogurt or sour cream
    • 1 tablespoon orange zest zest from one orange, zest before juicing

    Orange Glaze

    • ¾ cups icing sugar
    • 2 tbsps orange juice use the juice from the orange zested for the cake batter
    • pinch of salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 and generously spray bundt cake pan with baking cooking spray. This is cooking spray with flour mixed in.
    • Prepare cranberries by tossing with 1 tablespoon of flour.
    • Zest one orange and measure about 1 tablespoon of zest in a small bowl and toss with a teaspoon or so of flour. This helps prevent the zest from clumping together in the batter.
    • Measure dry ingredients in a medium bowl - 2 cups all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
    • In the large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together softened butter and sugar on low speed. Then increase speed and continue beating until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at time, beating at low spead after each egg until well incorporated. Add vanilla.
    • Mix in about half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add yogurt, again mix in on low until just combined. Then finally, mix in remaining flour until just combined. Remove from stand mix and gently fold in the orange zest and cranberries.
    • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for about 50-55 minutes. A tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean when the cake is done. The top will be a beautiful golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
    • Allow cake to cool slightly before removing from pan. Use a thin sharp knife to very gently loosen cake from around the center of pan and edges. Place a serving plater over the cake and carefully flip everything over. Cake should release easily. Allow the cake to continue to cool before drizzling with glaze.
    • To make the glaze combine icing sugar, orange juice and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Add more sugar to thicken if necessary or more juice for a thinner glaze. I like glaze to be on the thin side.
      Serve

    Notes

    Serve this cake in small slices if you are trying to serve a crowd. It makes a lovely centerpiece on a dessert table.
    A dollop of whipped cream is a very nice accompaniment.
    This recipe calls for greek yogurt, feel free to use sour cream, you will get a heavier and richer cake as a result. 
    Cake can be frozen, unglazed, for about 3 months.
    Substitute blueberries for the cranberries. 
    Calories: 323kcal (16%) Carbohydrates: 49g (16%) Protein: 4g (8%) Fat: 13g (20%) Saturated Fat: 8g (50%) Cholesterol: 72mg (24%) Sodium: 230mg (10%) Potassium: 102mg (3%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 32g (36%) Vitamin A: 431IU (9%) Vitamin C: 4mg (5%) Calcium: 35mg (4%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
    Trish | The In Fine Balance Food Blog
    Tried this recipe?Mention @infinebalance or tag #infinebalance!

    More Baked Goods and Dessert Recipes

    • Dark Chocolate Pots de Creme with Espresso
    • Roasted Banana Cake with Spiced Rum
    • Dark Chocolate Walnut Blondies
    • Apple Butter Bars (vegan)

    The latest recipes

    top side view of dark chocolate pot de creme with whipped cream and chocolate covered espresso beans

    Dark Chocolate Pots de Creme with Espresso

    roasted banana bundt cake with vanilla glaze on a white table

    Roasted Banana Cake with Spiced Rum

    dark chocolate blondies with walnuts on parchment paper

    Dark Chocolate Walnut Blondies

    a chip dipping into a hot and cheezy spinach and artichoke dip

    The best hot artichoke dip

    chia seed pudding in 2 glass jars with blueberries, strawberries and kiwi

    Easy Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

    Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a reply: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Trish Cowper

    Hi. I'm Trish.

    I'm a curious home cook, just as enthusiastic about healthy ingredients and whole foods as I am about cookies.

    more about me →

    Popular

    • The best hot artichoke dip
    • Easy Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding
    • Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
    • Carrot Cashew Paté
    • Healthy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate
    • Vegan Cream of Celery Soup
    • Make-Ahead Kale Salad
    • Raspberry Lemon Muffins

    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Disclosures
    • Disclaimer

    recent posts

    • Dark Chocolate Pots de Creme with Espresso
    • Roasted Banana Cake with Spiced Rum
    • Dark Chocolate Walnut Blondies
    • The best hot artichoke dip
    • Easy Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding
    Trish Cowper

    Hi. I'm Trish.

    I'm a curious home cook, just as enthusiastic about healthy ingredients and whole foods as I am about cookies.

    more about me →

    Popular

    • Perfect Lemon Muffins
    • Spiced Cranberry Rum Sauce
    • Tahini and Greek Yogurt Dip
    • Mediterranean Eggplant Stew
    • Strawberry Banana Jam
    • High Protein Pasta and Carrot Salad with Cumin
    • Carrot Mash with Miso
    • Easy Baked Tofu Recipe

    Footer

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

    7ads6x98y