Description
A festive and moist Cranberry Christmas Cake bursting with fresh cranberries and fragrant orange zest, perfect for holiday breakfasts or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 orange, zested (about 2 teaspoons loose zest)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 13×9-inch baking dish by spraying it with baking spray or using a homemade cake release, then set it aside.
- Beat Sugar and Eggs: In a mixing bowl, beat the granulated sugar with the eggs for 5 minutes until the mixture doubles in size and becomes light and fluffy.
- Add Butter and Extracts: Add the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest to the bowl and beat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until well combined.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt to the mixture and stir gently just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Cranberries: Carefully fold the fresh cranberries into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Prepare the baking pan by spraying with baking spray or using homemade cake release to prevent sticking.
- Zest an orange using a handheld grater or zesting tool, avoiding the bitter white pith beneath the peel.
- Store leftover cake covered at room temperature and consume within 5 days; it also freezes well for up to 3 months.
- This cake pairs wonderfully with hot chocolate or eggnog, making it a great holiday breakfast or dessert.
- For more recipe tips and tricks, refer to the corresponding blog post.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
