Bring a little winter wonderland to your holiday dessert table! Accented with tart, ruby-red cranberries and fresh, sweet orange, our rich, buttery Cranberry-Orange Cake is transformed into an edible thicket of evergreens courtesy of the Alpine Forest Loaf Pan from Nordic Ware. A dusting of confectioners’ sugar and sugared cranberries completes the look of a snow-covered scene a crisp winter day.
Cranberry-Orange Cake
Makes 1 (6-cup) cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups (266 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (3 grams) orange zest
- 2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups (208 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- 2/3 cup (160 grams) whole buttermilk, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (97 grams) fresh cranberries
- Garnish: confectioners’ sugar, sugared cranberriesÂ
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a Nordic Ware Alpine Forest Loaf Pan (see Notes) with baking spray with flour, using a pastry brush to ensure an even coating.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together granulated sugar and orange zest by hand until fragrant. Add butter; using the paddle attachment, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 2/3 cups (208 grams) flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition.
- In a small bowl, stir together cranberries and remaining 1 tablespoon (8 grams) flour; fold cranberry mixture into batter. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Firmly tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter several times to settle batter.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 55 minutes to 1 hour and 5 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Garnish with confectioners’ sugar and sugared cranberries (see Notes) just before serving, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
You can also bake this cake in a 6-cup loaf pan.
To make sugared cranberries, heat ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar and ½ cup (120 grams) water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; let cool for 5 minutes. Gently stir 1 cup (250 grams) fresh cranberries into syrup until well coated. Remove cranberries from syrup with a slotted spoon, letting excess drip off. Place cranberries in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet, and let them dry for 1 hour. Roll cranberries in granulated sugar until coated, and let stand until dry, about 1 hour.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I have made this cake several times & it is perfect every time. Not too sweet so good as a light dessert with a little whipped cream or crème fresh or a nice addition to a brunch.
Hi Deb. Hope you can help? I have a 6 cup Nordic Ware bundt pan that’s not a loaf pan. Do you think the bake would work in that and baked for approximately the same time/oven temperature. Which pan do you use?
Yes, you can bake this in a 6-cup Bundt pan. Pay more attention to indicators of doneness than actual baking time.
This looks divine with excellent texture and combination of flavours. Would it work baked in a Nordic ware 6 cup bundt pan that’s not a loaf pan for approximately the same cooking time and oven temperature. Please help! I need a slice of this scrumptious cake!‍
Hi Deborah,
Thank you for reaching out. We have not tested this recipe in a different pan, but the recipe yields one (6-cup) Bundt, so it should work in your 6 cup Bundt pan. Happy baking!
Enjoyed this. Will make again. I made it in a bundt type pan.
Excellent recipe super tasty. Will bake it again.