Simple and Delicious Cranberry Cake Recipe
This cranberry Christmas cake is the perfect little black dress of desserts. It’s so simple, yet beautiful; an absolutely delicious buttery sweet cake studded with whole fresh cranberries. An amazing sugary crust magically forms on top as it bakes. Less is more, and this cake is fabulous.
It’s peak cranberry season! Americans eat 400 million pounds of cranberries every year! Bags and bags of fresh cranberries are piled high in the produce departments of grocery stores all over America right now.
I love that almost all of our cranberries are grown here in the USA! Grab several extra bags while they are available because cranberries freeze beautifully right in the package, so you can grab some out of the freezer and make your favorite recipes all year long! Don’t defrost the, just fold the frozen berries into the batter.
Cranberries are our second favorite berry, right below strawberries, and for a good reason! Cranberries can be used in so many ways, from sweet and savory jams, dips, and salsas to amazing bread, pies, and desserts! Twenty percent or eighty MILLION pounds of cranberries are eaten during Thanksgiving week alone!
When I saw a recipe for a simple cake using whole fresh cranberries, I knew I would love it, especially when I saw the main ingredients are butter and sugar! This cake did not disappoint; in fact, it might be my best new cake find of the year!
The cake is almost chewy, like a buttery bar cookie. The sweetness and the touch of vanilla play perfectly with the tart berries that burst open as the cake bakes. My favorite part is how the batter magically forms a thin, crisp, sugary layer on top. I think this cake is absolutely perfect in every way.
This Unique Cranberry Christmas Cake Uses Only 3 Eggs To Make It Rise
You may notice the recipe has no baking powder or baking soda. In this tender cake, three eggs beaten with sugar for five to seven minutes are the only leavening in this cake. The beaten eggs trap air bubbles in the dough to create a light, fluffy texture.
Be patient during this process. As you beat the eggs and sugar together, the mixture gets thicker and lighter in color, almost lemon-colored. The volume increases by nearly double. You know you have beaten them long enough when you pull the beaters out of the mixture, and the batter drips off in a thin ribbon.
Next, add the softened butter and vanilla and beat until the butter is fully incorporated into the egg mixture. To speed that along a little, cut the butter into pats and add them a few at a time.
Now gradually add the flour and mix only long enough so no streaks of flour can be seen. Finally, use the mixer to beat in the whole cranberries. They will break up a little as you do, but as the cake bakes, they will burst open and release their marvelous juice! The batter will be thick, almost like cookie dough!
Pat the batter into a thirteen-by-nine pan you have buttered or sprayed. Bake the cake in a 350-degree oven for about 45 minutes. The top should be a light golden brown, and when you poke a toothpick or cake tester near the middle of the cake, it should come out clean.
Look at that beautiful cake! A thin crisp sugary glaze will form like magic on the top as the cake cools. It’s so pretty it almost looks like frost!
Let the cake cool completely before you cut it because the squares will come out more neat and clean. Confession: I did not wait; I couldn’t help myself! It was messy but so incredibly delicious I didn’t care.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are all about cranberries! Never enough cranberries, I say! What’s your favorite way to serve cranberries for the holidays? Here are some more of our popular cranberry recipes: Fresh Cranberry and Orange Sauce, No Bake Cranberry Cream Pie, and Keto Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Questions I often get for this recipe:
Q: What type of cranberries should I use?
A: You can use any type of cranberries you like, but fresh cranberries are the best choice for this recipe. Frozen cranberries can also be used, but they will release more liquid as they bake, so you may need to adjust the amount of flour or sugar in the recipe.
Q: How do I prevent the cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake?
A: To prevent the cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake, be sure to dredge them in flour before adding them to the batter. The flour will help to coat the cranberries and prevent them from sinking. You can also try folding the cranberries into the batter gently, so as not to disturb them too much.
Q: Can I use other types of fruit in this recipe?
A: Yes, you can use other types of fruit in this recipe, such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. Simply substitute the other fruit for the cranberries in equal measure.
Q: How do I know when the cake is done baking?
A: A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean when the cake is done baking. You can also check the cake for doneness by pressing lightly on the top. If the cake springs back, it is done baking.
Q: How do I store leftover cranberry cake?
A: Leftover cranberry cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Here are some additional questions and answers that you might get:
Q: Can I make this cake in a bundt pan?
A: Yes, you can make this cake in a bundt pan. Simply grease and flour the bundt pan before adding the batter. Bake the cake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Q: Can I make this cake gluten-free?
A: Yes, you can make this cake gluten-free by using gluten-free flour. Be sure to use a gluten-free flour blend that is specifically designed for baking cakes.
Q: Can I make this cake vegan?
A: Yes, you can make this cake vegan by using a vegan butter or margarine substitute and a plant-based milk. You may also need to adjust the amount of flour or sugar in the recipe to account for the changes.
Printable Recipe:
Cranberry Christmas Cake
Cranberry Christmas Cake is simple, yet beautiful; an absolutely delicious buttery sweet cake studded with whole fresh cranberries. An amazing sugary crust magically forms on top as it bakes.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened and cut into pats
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Butter or spray a 13" by 9" baking pan.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened, light in color, and about doubled in volume - about 5-7 minutes. This is easiest if you have a stand mixer. Be patient; take your time with this step. The beaten eggs are what give the cake its volume.
- Add the butter and vanilla; mix for two more minutes.
- Add the flour gradually and beat until there are no streaks of flour showing, but don't overbeat.
- Add the cranberries and stir to mix throughout. You can use your stand mixer for this step too. The cranberries will break up even more as the cake bakes.
- Spread the thick dough in the pan and pat it in place.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting it into serving pieces.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it on your social media! I would love for more people to try this delicious and easy-to-make dessert. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
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With the cranberry cake can I use two 5×9 PANS?
The cake will be a little thicker so you’ll need to watch your bake time. I think it will work. a 13 x 9 pan is 117 square inches and two 9 x 5 pans add up to 90 square inches so the two pans will have abot 23% more batter per square inch.you may need to put foil on top if the cake gets too brown. let me know how it works.