Cranberry Orange Cake

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A bright, cozy cake that’s made for the holidays!

If you need one simple bake that feels instantly festive, this Cranberry Orange Cake is it. Bright orange zest and juicy cranberries come together in a cozy, classic combo that tastes like winter sunshine. It’s the kind of cake that makes your kitchen smell amazing while it bakes, and it looks just as pretty on the counter as it does on the table.

Tart, jewel-toned cranberries pop in every bite, while the orange keeps things light, fresh, and just sweet enough.

The crumb is soft and tender, and the quick glaze on top gives it that bakery-style finish without any fuss. Serve it for holiday brunch, bring it as an easy hostess gift, or slice it up for a quiet afternoon moment with coffee or tea.

Cranberry Orange Cake

Servings loaves

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp Kosher salt
3 tsp baking powder
1¼ cups organic cane sugar
Zest from 2 oranges
1½ cups buttermilk
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp orange juice, fresh is best
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups cranberries, sliced in half, is best

Glaze

Zest of one orange
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp orange juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour two 9x5 loaf pans and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the sugar and orange zest and stir well to combine. Then add the flour, salt, and baking powder, stir again, and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, orange juice, and vanilla. Whisk well to combine.
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients, stirring until well combined.
Add the cranberries to the batter and fold them in.
Pour the batter into the two prepared loaf pans.
Bake in a convection oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. In a non-convection oven, it could take 60-70 minutes. If the loaf begins to look too brown, loosely cover it with parchment paper until it is cooked through.
Once cooked through, remove the loaf pans from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Using a butterknife, loosen the sides. Place a platter on top of the loaf pan and flip it over to release the loaf from the pan. Let cool before glazing.
Glazing: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange zest, and 1 tablespoon of orange juice and mix. If the glaze is too thick, add a touch more orange juice. The glaze should be the consistency of batter, thick but spreadable.