Cranberry Orange Butter Cake

This classic pairing of orange and cranberries shines in this Cranberry Orange Butter Cake. It starts with a dense, creamy butter cake, made extra rich and sweet with condensed milk in the batter. A splash of vanilla and fresh orange adds a bright pop of flavor, while tart cranberries are gently folded in along with freshly grated orange zest to round out the taste. Once cooled, the cake is finished with a creamy citrus glaze and a sprinkle of fresh orange zest, making it nearly impossible to stop at just one slice.

Easy Cranberry Orange Butter Cake Recipe

I could practically skip for joy when fresh cranberries show up in the produce section of my local market, though I can neither confirm nor deny that this has ever actually happened. Maybe it’s the cranberry flavor, which I genuinely love, or perhaps it’s the way cranberries signal the start of the holiday season, with all the baking, entertaining, and cozy moments with friends and family that come with it.

Combine that love with my devotion to butter cakes, and this cranberry orange butter cake was bound to happen. The sweet, rich butter cake batter is glorious on its own, but it’s perfectly balanced by the bright tartness of the cranberries. Worth every single calorie, this cake is ideal for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving treats, or as a standout addition to your Christmas dessert goodies or a thoughtful homemade gift.

Checkout this quick list of key ingredients you’ll need to make easy Cranberry Orange Cake Recipe: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe cars.)

• Flour – All purpose flour forms the base of the cake batter.
• Leavening – Baking powder and salt give the cake rise while baking.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar for sweetness.
• Butter – Salted butter or unsalted butter for richness.
• Whole Eggs – Large eggs stabilize the cake batter.
• Cranberries – Fresh cranberries should be rinsed, dried and picked over prior to adding to the batter. Remove any with blemishes or soft.
• Liquid – The texture of this cake has a delicious dense texture due to using sweetened condensed milk in the batter.
• Large Oranges – Fresh orange juice is needed for the glaze and freshly grated orange zest to give the batter a pop of citrus flavor.
• Orange Extract and Vanilla – Orange extract has a more concentrated flavor than fresh juice. It cements the flavor of this scratch made cake. Vanilla extract balances the flavor.
• Cream Glaze – Powdered sugar, orange juice, orange zest and heavy cream will give the glaze more body than using OJ alone. I also like to add orange extract to concentrate the flavor.

How to Make the Best Cranberry Orange Butter Cake Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prepare the Pan – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a Bundt pan or spray liberally with baking spray. Set aside.
• Cream the Butter – Using an electric mixer cream together the softened butter, sugar, vanilla and orange extracts.
• Add the Eggs – One at a time beating well after each addition.
• Sift Dry Ingredients – In a separate bowl, use a whisk to sift the 2 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt.
• Combine – Lower the speed of the mixer and add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the sweetened condensed milk.
• Coat Cranberries with Flour – In a bowl toss the cranberries with flour. Fold into the cake batter with the orange zest.
• Transfer to Prepared Pan – Pour evenly into Bundt pan.
• Oven – Bake per the recipe until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
• Cool Cake – Cool on a wire rack.
• Make the Glaze – Stir together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, orange extract and enough orange juice to thin to drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.
• Serve – Garnish with additional orange zest. Chill until serving.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Cranberry Orange Cake

• A stand mixer or a hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• Large bowl and medium bowl.
• Balloon whisk.
• Measuring cups and spoons,
• Citrus zester.
• Bundt pan and wire rack.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Orange Extract – The purpose of adding orange extract to the cake batter in addition to the fresh orange juice and orange zest is to give this cake a more intense citrus flavor. I recommend using it or replacing it with additional zest.
• Toss the Cranberries with Flour – It’s important to toss the cranberries with a small amount of flour to help prevent them from sinking and evenly distributing through the batter. It’ doesn’t mean that some won’t sink, but they are more  equally distributed with this step.
• Vanilla Glaze – You can omit the creamy glaze and serve this cake simply dusted with confectioner’s sugar. This cake with a creamy orange glaze but if preferred, you can simply dust with powdered sugar and call it a day.
• Pan Option – I sometimes bake my butter cakes in a springform pan and then serve them cut into wedges like a single layer cake. That being said, this cranberry orange butter cake texture is slightly different due to the amount of cranberries and added liquid they release into the batter while baking. II find that it bakes more evenly in a bundt pan. You can also use a tube pan.
• Cranberry Orange Butter – Whip together softened butter with honey and orange zest. Fold in dried cranberries, then transfer to a jar and chill. You can adjust the sweetness adding more honey, pure maple syrup or brown sugar for extra sweetness. Cranberry orange honey butter is perfect for serving with waffles, pancakes, french toast, biscuits and cornbread.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers – Store leftover Cranberry Orange Butter Cake in an airtight container, wrapped in plastic wrap or foil chilled in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer – You can also freeze this cranberry butter cake for up to 2 months. When freezing, I recommend waiting to glaze the cake after thawing overnight in the fridge.

More Cranberry Dessert Recipes to Make

This homemade Christmas cranberry cake is bound to be the crowning jewel of your holiday dessert table. More cranberry dessert recipes you may also like to try:

• Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies are a seasonal favorite.
• Cranberry Orange Yogurt Bread for mornings or afternoon snacking with a steamy cup of tea or coffee.
• Cranberry Apple Fruit Chutney is a delicious option for your Thanksgiving side dishes.
• Don’t just stop there, whip-up a batch of these Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies for your neighborhood cookie swap.
• Start your day with these Cranberry Orange Sour Cream Scones or a freshly baked batch of Cranberry Muffins.
• You may also like this recipe for Cranberry Salsa from Favorite Family Recipes.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Bundt Pan
• Stand Mixer
• Mixing Bowls
• Silicone Spatulas