Cranberry Cake

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

An easy cranberry cake that cuts into light tender squares with whole cranberries running all the way through them.

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: (approximately 2-2 ½ inch squares)

Calories: 227kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

3 large eggs room temperature
2¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter very soft (almost creamy) room temperature, plus additional to grease the baking dish
¼ cup whole milk room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour for the batter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour to toss the cranberries to prevent sinking
½ teaspoon salt
12 ounces fresh whole cranberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9x13 glass baking dish and set aside.
Using a handheld mixer, on medium-high speed, beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl for 6-7 minutes until thick, pale yellow, and almost doubled in volume.
3 large eggs, 2¼ cups granulated sugar
Add the butter, milk, vanilla, and almond extract to the whipped eggs. Beat for an additional 1-2 minutes or until fully combined and smooth.
¾ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup whole milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract
With the mixer on low, slowly add 2 ½ cups flour and salt to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
2½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt
In a separate bowl, toss the cranberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour until lightly coated.
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 12 ounces fresh whole cranberries
Fold the flour coated cranberries into the batter. Spread the cranberry cake batter into an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. You can lightly tent the dish with foil the last 10-15 minutes of bake time if browning too fast.
Allow to cool completely at room temperature before slicing and serving.

Notes

Tips:

Beat the eggs and sugar the full 6 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and almost doubled in volume. There is no baking powder or baking soda in this cake, so that air is what makes it rise.
Once the flour goes in, keep the mixer on low and stop as soon as it comes together. The batter is supposed to be thick.
Toss the cranberries in the tablespoon of flour before you fold them in so they do not sink. If you rinse them first, dry them very well with a paper towel.
Frozen cranberries work. Pat them very dry and add them still frozen. Thawed berries release juice and streak the batter.

Storage:

This cake is best served and stored at room temperature. Cover it lightly with foil and keep it on the counter for up to 3 days. Skip airtight containers and skip the refrigerator, because both of them soften the crisp crust. To freeze it, wrap it in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition