Cranberry Cake (Printable)

Moist, tender cake bursting with tart cranberries and balanced by sweet buttery crumb. Perfect holiday dessert.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 1/4 cup milk
11 - 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

→ For the Topping

12 - 2 tablespoons turbinado or granulated sugar
13 - Zest of 1 orange

# How To Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round or square cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
04 - Incorporate eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract.
05 - Stir sour cream into batter until completely smooth and uniform.
06 - Add flour mixture in three portions, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
07 - Gently fold cranberries into batter using spatula, taking care not to overmix.
08 - Pour batter into prepared pan, level surface, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar and orange zest if using.
09 - Bake for 35–40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center emerges clean.
10 - Let cake rest in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttery crumb balances perfectly with those tart cranberry bursts that pop when you bite into them
  • This cake manages to feel fancy enough for holiday guests but casual enough to eat for breakfast with coffee
02 -
  • If you are using frozen cranberries, toss them in a little flour before folding them in to keep them from sinking to the bottom
  • Letting the butter soften to room temperature makes all the difference in achieving that light and fluffy texture
03 -
  • Do not overmix the batter once you add the flour or the cake will become tough instead of tender
  • The turbinado sugar topping creates this lovely crunchy crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft cake

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