With the holidays and holiday parties fast approaching, are you looking for recipes? I know I am, and this orange cranberry cake recipe is perfect for parties and crowds. It’s sweet, tart, and just screams holidays!
Last year, around the holidays my mother-in-law tried a new recipe out around the holidays for a family dinner. It was for a cranberry cake, it was delicious, but needed a little something. She said she found the recipe on facebook (speaking of facebook – are we friends? I’d love for us to be) and some of the commenters had suggested adding a glaze. So she made it again with a glaze, and oh my goodness, it was SO GOOD.
This cranberry cake with orange glaze showed up – and subsequently disappeared- at parties and family get togethers. Personally, I could not get enough of this cake.
The fresh, tart cranberries baked in a sweet cake with a zippy orange glaze. So good!
So this year, in preparation of the holidays, I asked my mother in law for the recipe so that I could make it and share it with you guys. I’m all about the holidays, did you see this 5 ingredient broccoli divine recipe? It’s a staple around the holidays – just like this cake will be!
I always like sharing the sources of recipes, if I didn’t make them up myself. The recipe my mother-in-law shared had no source, but I did some googling, and found that it was based on a recipe for cranberry Christmas cake from the Barefeet In The Kitchen Blog (whose cookbook I talked about in this cheesy chicken and rice enchilada casserole post!) So this orange cranberry cake recipe is adapted from a Christmas cake recipe, and it couldn’t be more fitting.
Next time you’re wondering what to make for a holiday party – or if you have fresh cranberries that need to be used – look no further than this delicious orange glazed cranberry cake, your guests will love it!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Cranberry Walnut Crumb Dessert Bars
- 5 Ingredient Cake {Orange Chocolate Almond Torte}
- Cranberry Gingerbread Muffins
Orange Cranberry Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest about 1/4 of an orange zested
- For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest about 3/4 of an orange zested
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a hand or stand mixer until thickened (3 minutes).
- Next add the butter and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated, then add in the baking soda and flour and beat until combined.
- With a spoon, stir in the fresh cranberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick into the center comes out clean.
- To make the glaze, in a separate bowl combine all glaze ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Wait for the cake to cool for half an hour, then pour the glaze over the warm cake.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, and then cut into little squares.
Helen says
I just made this, but did not have oranges, so I used canned mandarins, drained and mashed. I also had frozen cranberries from last year. I used the mandarin juice to make the glaze…no water or milk, or even orange juice, just mandarin juice. It is iced now, and waiting for it to cool before cutting. Will let you know how it turns out!
Sweetphi says
Thank you for your comment Helen, so glad you tried this recipe with all your substitutions, hope you enjoyed it 🙂
Helen says
The cake itself was perfect texture and flavor. For me, the cranberries were too tart…lol. The mandarin worked out great, and the icing was delicious! I think this would be FABULOUS with blueberries, or, with cinnamon…like a cinnamon cake. This is a perfect cake for not only dessert, but as a breakfast/brunch cake. Thanks for posting!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Helen says
Oh yeah…chocolate chips would be great in it too!
Sweetphi says
Oh great idea, totally going to have to try it with chocolate chips 🙂
Rony Jahid says
This orange cranberry cake looks so beautiful! Colorful, soft & moisture also has healthy ingredients. thanks for sharing.
Sweetphi says
Thanks for the comment
Rony Jahid says
Its my pleasure! Have a great time.
Jessica says
This looks like the perfect cake for the upcoming holidays! Thanks for sharing my friend!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for commenting, this is definitely an amazing cake for the holidays – my mother in law made this for all the holiday parties last year 🙂
Mother-in-law says
I stopped making it because cranberries were out of season, this year I am going to freeze a bunch. Thank you for reminding me of the recipe!
Sweetphi says
That’s such a great suggestion to buy fresh cranberries and then freeze them. Thank you for sharing this recipe with me 🙂
andrea rentea says
This looks delicious. Since we got new cranberries will make this cake this weekend.
Thank you so much for sharing it. We love tart cakes.
Sweetphi says
Tart cranberries go so well with the orange glaze in this delicious cake. Thank you so much for commenting 🙂