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Cranberry Christmas Cake

Cranberry Christmas cake is a tender, buttery cake baked with fresh cranberries and orange zest. The golden top and moist crumb make it a festive dessert that's easy to slice and share.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp orange zest finely grated
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cup fresh cranberries rinsed and patted dry

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch square baking pan
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  5. Mix in the sour cream, milk, vanilla, and orange zest until combined.
  6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  7. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain.
  8. Fold in the cranberries.
  9. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  10. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  11. Cool the cake in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

For the moistest cake, stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezer-friendly. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free butter, sour cream, and milk.