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A festive Cranberry Bundt Cake makes a deliciously impressive holiday dessert. The sweetness of the cake contrasts nicely with the tartness of the fresh berries, and the icing on the cake is a sweet orange glaze that puts this stunning cake in a league of its own!
Hi y’all! My name is Marion of Life Tastes Good. Life Tastes Good is a food blog of mostly simple recipes using fresh ingredients. I hope to inspire my readers to eat at home to save money, eat healthier, and experience exciting flavors! As I have been a fan of Oh, Sweet Basil for some time, I was thrilled when Carrian asked me to share a recipe with you! I hope you enjoy this tasty cake as much as we do!
When I was a kid, I wasn’t a fan of cranberries. I wouldn’t even try them! I don’t know why, I guess I was a bit stubborn, as hard as that is to imagine <wink>. Thankfully, I’ve grown out of my stubborn streak, although I’m pretty certain my husband would disagree with that, but I certainly have more of an open mind when it comes to food. The first time I reluctantly tried cranberry sauce I was hooked and now I wait, not so patiently, for fresh cranberries to show up each year so I can make all of our faves!
In addition to my love affair with cranberries, lately I’ve been hooked on bundt cakes too, so making a Cranberry Bundt Cake was just something that had to happen. This is a Family Circle recipe I adapted to suit our tastes. The cake has a wonderful texture. It is fluffy and moist with a crisp outside, and a slightly sweet, buttery flavor that pairs beautifully with the tartness of the fresh cranberries. Finishing the cake with a sweet orange glaze adds a hint of citrus to round out all the flavors for a cake that makes you wish cranberries were in season all year long!
To make this cake, preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter and flour a 9″ bundt pan. I recommend using 2 tablespoons unsalted butter that is softened to room temperature. Use your fingers to work the butter into the grooves of the pan. It’s important to make sure you coat every bit of the pan to ensure the cake releases nicely so it looks purty. Sprinkle with flour and distribute evenly throughout the pan. Discard any excess flour.
Combine 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk to mix well and set aside…
Place 12 ounces fresh cranberries (1 bag) in a small bowl and pick through them to weed out any mushy ones. Add 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and toss gently to coat the cranberries. Set aside until ready to use…
In a mixing bowl, combine 2 sticks softened butter with 2 cups sugar. Mix on low to combine and then turn up the speed to mid-high and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract…
Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, mixing after each addition until combined. Mix in 1/2 the flour mixture until combined and add 1/2 cup sour cream and mix well. Add in the remaining flour mixture until just combined and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all flour is mixed in. Gently fold cranberries into the batter…
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth to even out…
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes until the top springs back when pressed gently or a cake tester inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes.
Carefully run a flat edge, such as a butter knife, around the edge of the pan to loosen and also around the center hole. Place a cooling rack over top of the cake pan and carefully flip the cake pan over so the cake slides out onto the cooling rack. The cake pan will be hot, so be sure to protect your hands.
Allow cake to cool completely. Prepare the sweet orange glaze by combining 1 cup confecioners’ sugar with 1/4 cup orange juice and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix well to combine. Add more sugar to thicken or more orange juice to thin to your desired consistency. When cake is cooled, drizzle the glaze over the cake.
Garnish with fresh cranberries and enjoy!
Is There A Difference Between Regular Cake and Bundt Cake?
A Bundt cake is any type of cake cooked in a Bundt pan.
Any layer cake can be baked in a bundt pan.
You can successfully bake the batter for two 9-inch layer cakes in a 15-cup Bundt pan—and you won’t have to spend a lot of time assembling and frosting.
Are Cranberries Good for You?
Cranberries have good nutritional value.
They are low in calories and high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K.
Nutrients in cranberries have been linked to a lower risk of urinary tract infections, prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, and decreased blood pressure.
Can Cake Be Frozen?
Most cakes freeze well.
Cakes can be frozen before they are frosted, or many frostings freeze well also.
Wrap an unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze.
If the cake has been frosted, place in the freezer unwrapped for a few hours until the frosting is frozen.
Then wrap tightly in plastic and foil and freeze.
Cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When ready to serve, unwrap and let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
More Delicious Bundt Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Cinnamon Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake
- Pecan Apple Bundt Cake
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bundt Cake
- Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
- Banana Pudding Bundt Cake
- Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Cranberry Bundt Cake
Cranberry Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened (for greasing the pan)
- 1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour, or more as needed to flour the pan
- 2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 12 Ounces Fresh Cranberries, 1 bag
- 1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened (1 cup)
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 4 Large Eggs , at room temperature
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Cup Confectioners' Sugar , or more as needed
- 1/4 Cup Orange Juice , or more as needed
- Pinch Kosher Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter and flour a 9" bundt pan.
- I recommend using 2 tablespoons unsalted butter that is softened to room temperature. Use your fingers to work the butter into the grooves of the pan. It's important to make sure you coat every bit of the pan to ensure the cake releases nicely so it looks purty.2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Sprinkle with flour and distribute evenly throughout the pan. Discard any excess flour.1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- Combine 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt.2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, 3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Whisk to mix well and set aside.
- Place 12 ounces fresh cranberries (1 bag) in a small bowl and pick through them to weed out any mushy ones.12 Ounces Fresh Cranberries
- Add 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and toss gently to coat the cranberries.1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- Set aside until ready to use.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 2 sticks softened butter with 2 cups sugar.2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, 2 Cups Sugar
- Mix on low to combine and then turn up the speed to mid-high and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, mixing after each addition until combined.4 Large Eggs
- Mix in 1/2 the flour mixture until combined and add 1/2 cup sour cream and mix well.1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- Add in the remaining flour mixture until just combined and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all flour is mixed in.
- Gently fold cranberries into the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth to even out.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes until the top springs back when pressed gently or a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes.
- Carefully run a flat edge, such as a butter knife, around the edge of the pan to loosen and also around the center hole.
- Place a cooling rack over top of the cake pan and carefully flip the cake pan over so the cake slides out onto the cooling rack. The cake pan will be hot, so be sure to protect your hands.
- Allow cake to cool completely.
- Prepare the sweet orange glaze by combining 1 cup confecioners' sugar with 1/4 cup orange juice and a pinch of kosher salt.1 Cup Confectioners' Sugar , 1/4 Cup Orange Juice , Pinch Kosher Salt
- Mix well to combine.
- Add more sugar to thicken or more orange juice to thin to your desired consistency.
- When cake is cooled, drizzle the glaze over the cake.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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this is delicious and delightful with the contrast of tart cranberries and tender sweet cake! I used a bit less sugar than called for and it was definitely still sweet enough. next time I’ll make the orange glaze a bit thicker as well. Definitely worth a try if you need to use the random bag of cranberries leftover from our Friendsgiving!
Yay! Thank you so much Stephanie!
Hi, I see that you used a 9″ bundt pan for this recipe. I only have a 10″ pan. Do you think the temp/cooking times would vary wildly with a slightly bigger pan? Thanks!
Hi Monica! It should be about the same, maybe a little less time since it won’t be as thick. I would check it about 10 minutes early and see how it’s looking and go from there.
I am preparing to make this for my Christmas and for my neighbors as a gift
Can you add walnuts to the recipe without spoiling the consistancy and moistness and if so how much would you recommend?
Hi Linda! Yes, you can definitely put walnuts in it. It won’t change the texture of the cake at all and the amount is totally up to you! Anywhere from a 1/2 cup to a full cup depending on how nutty you want it to be. Happy holidays!
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes? How long would baking time be?
Absolutely! Standard sized cupcakes will bake for 15-17 minutes at the same baking temperature. Enjoy!
This cake is amazing!! So full of flavor and just the right texture. Absolutely delicious!!
The only change we made was the glaze and we made an apple cider glaze for ours. Perfect for fall!
That sounds amazing!! Thank you for the feedback!!
Lovely cake. I made with plant-based butter and vegan sour cream and it’s wonderful.
Something that might help with stiffness of batter which seems to bother some is to let eggs come to room temperature. Then they don’t chill the softened butter.
I had Cara Cara oranges around so added some zest to batter and will make the icing with the juice, mmm. Thanks for nice recipe!
Thank you for the tips and so glad you enjoyed it!
This looks delicious and beautiful! Have you ever tried baking this in a decorative holiday bundt pan? I have a pan that’s shaped like trees and a traditional pan. Any advice as to which I should use? Thanks!
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Just depending on the size of the pans you’ll want to adjust the baking time!
It came out of the decorative pan nicely—no sticking. I’m just waiting for it to cool. It smells amazing!
Yay! Thank you for letting us know how they turned out! I bet they are gorgeous!
Awesome cake! Wonderfully soft and yummy! The perfect autumn cake 😁 Only thing I changed, is I brushed the glaze on right after I turned it out of the pan. I like brushing the glaze on while the cake is warm so it soaks in.
Thank you for the feedback Sarah! So glad you enjoyed it!
Today I’m making this cake for the 5th time. Every time comes out great.
Yay!! Thank you for the feedback!
Made this for Christmas and it turned out beautifully.
Hurray! Love that, Margaret! Isn’t it beautiful!?!