Description
This festive Cranberry Christmas Cake is a delightful holiday treat featuring fresh cranberries, orange zest, and a moist, buttery base. Perfect for breakfast or dessert during the holiday season, this cake combines sweet and tart flavors with a tender crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
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)
Fruit
- 2 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 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 the eggs for 5 minutes until the mixture doubles in size and becomes light and fluffy.
- Add Butter and Extracts: Incorporate the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest into the egg mixture. Beat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to combine fully.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt to the wet mixture and gently fold just until combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Fold in Cranberries: Carefully fold in the fresh cranberries to evenly distribute them throughout the batter.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the prepared batter into the baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool completely before serving to ensure clean slices and enhanced flavor.
Notes
- Prepare the baking pan with baking spray or homemade cake release to prevent sticking.
- Use a hand-held grater or zesting tool to carefully zest the orange, avoiding the bitter white pith.
- Store leftover cranberry cake covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months to maintain freshness.
- Serve this cake for holiday breakfast alongside hot chocolate or eggnog for a festive touch.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend suitable for baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
