Christmas cranberry cake is the ideal dessert for the holiday season, bringing together the tartness of fresh cranberries with the warmth of spices and citrus zest. This moist, flavorful cake is as beautiful as it is delicious, making it a perfect centerpiece for your holiday table or a thoughtful gift for friends and family.
The cake’s base is wonderfully tender, thanks to a mix of butter, sugar, and eggs. Adding buttermilk (or yogurt) gives it a slight tang, which complements the sweetness of the cake. The cranberries are the star of the show, providing a burst of tartness in every bite. When baked, the cranberries soften and release their juice, creating pockets of sweet-tart goodness throughout the cake. For a festive touch, you can also sprinkle a handful of cranberries on top before baking, creating a beautiful, jewel-like effect once it’s finished.
To elevate the flavors, the cake is infused with a hint of orange zest, which brightens up the rich, holiday spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The combination of citrus and spice makes this cake incredibly aromatic and perfectly suited for Christmas. The cake itself is wonderfully moist, yet not too dense, allowing the flavors to shine without being overwhelming.
For added indulgence, top the cake with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar, orange juice, and a dash of vanilla. The glaze adds a sweet finish that complements the tart cranberries and adds a bit of extra holiday sparkle. Alternatively, you can dust the top with powdered sugar for a more subtle, wintry look.
This Christmas cranberry cake can be made ahead of time, and it only gets better as the flavors meld together. It’s a great option for breakfast, a snack, or dessert, and is perfect for sharing at holiday gatherings. Whether served with a dollop of whipped cream or enjoyed on its own, this cake is the perfect blend of festive flavors, making it a must-bake for the season.
While it is important to maintain a balanced diet, the holiday season calls for a little indulgence. The Christmas Cranberry Cake allows you to satisfy your sweet tooth while embracing the joy and festive spirit of the occasion. Remember, moderation is key, and savoring a slice or two of this cake can be a delightful part of your holiday celebrations. For complete perfection, pair it with a chai latte.
So, get ready to spread some merry cheer with our irresistible Christmas Cranberry Cake! Gather your ingredients, preheat your ovens, and let’s get baking!
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 3 egg 1 whole and 2 egg whites lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen and thawed
- cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- cranberries Optional
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Sparkling sugar for rolling, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt.
- In another bowl, combine whole milk, sour cream, melted butter, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Gently fold in the cranberries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, whole milk, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top.
- For candied cranberries (optional), toss cranberries in granulated sugar until coated. Allow them to dry, then roll in sparkling sugar. Use them as a festive garnish for the cake.
- Slice and serve the Christmas Cranberry Cake. Enjoy the festive flavors!
Nutrition
Perfect for Christmas! My kids went crazy for it! Add a little more sugar for extra sweetness if needed 😊
Great recipe! I made it for my office party. It disappeared fast, but I forgot to take a picture first! Lol.
This cake is absolutely divine! The burst of cranberry flavor is perfect for the holidays. I’m making it again this year!
I didn’t have all the ingredients and used yogurt instead of sour cream. Cake turned out weird, not sure I’d make this again.
Delish! Used frozen cranberries and they worked just fine. Cream cheese frosting was the best part!
Is it possible to leave out the cream cheese? I don’t like it and I won’t eat it!
Not the best cake I’ve made. The frosting was too sweet for my taste. A bit disappointed.
I hear ya! I find frosting can be way too sweet sometimes. Maybe you could try reducing the sugar next time or use a different frosting. Hope your next cake turns out better!
Ugh, I burnt mine. This is why I don’t bake!!
Burnt? That sucks! But maybe you just left it too long in the oven. Baking is super easy once you get the hang of it!
Don’t worry! Baking can be tricky. Maybe try lowering the oven temp next time? 😅
Too sweet for my taste. The sugar content seems way too high! Next time, I’ll cut back on the sugar.
I get what you mean! I added more cranberries and it balanced out the sweetness nicely. Maybe give that a try next time!
OMG this cake is life!! 🎉 I’m not even kidding, I ate half the pan in one sitting.
This cake was a hit at our family gathering! So moist and flavorful. Everyone loved the cranberries and cream cheese frosting!
Yum!
Why would you mix cranberries with cake? Seems weird to me. 🤔
This sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try this recipe for Christmas! 🎄
This cake was a hit at our holiday party! Everyone loved it! 🎉
So glad to hear that! 🎂 This recipe really brings the holiday spirit! What was your secret?
Not a fan of cranberries, but I tried this anyway. It was just ok for me. Maybe try with blueberries?
Delicious!!! Also made a gluten-free version for my friend, it worked great!
Looks fancy but was actually super easy to make! Perfect for beginners like me.
Great recipe! But…so many cranberries! Like too much! Can I use more chocolate instead? That’d be fun!!
I thought cranberries were just for sauces, but wow, this cake is awesome! I might eat the whole thing. 😂
I don’t bake much, but this was easy to follow. Though I might have added too much sugar. Sweet!
Yummy cake, but took longer to bake. Like, 50 minutes instead of 35. Oven issues maybe?
Idk why everyone loves this. It was just ok for me. I was expecting a lot more flavor…maybe I’m just not a cranberry person.
Cranberry cake? Sounds weird… But I guess it’s festive or whatever 😅
Did you really need that much flour? Seems like a lot. I might cut down next time.
My cake didn’t rise well, followed the recipe exactly. What did I do wrong? 🤔
Easy recipe! I added a bit of orange zest for extra flavor. My family loved it!
Cranberry cake is a holiday tradition! If you never tried it, you are missing out. Love it!
I totally agree! Cranberry cake is the best! It’s my family’s go-to for Christmas. Can’t wait to make it again this year!
Sounds nice… but isn’t cranberry cake a bit too sweet? I like my desserts not overly sugary. Anyone else feel that way?
Looks fancy, but not too keen on cranberries. Can I use blueberries instead? 🤷♀️
I tried this recipe last week and the cake turned out super dry. Not sure what went wrong but I’m disappointed.
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe the oven temperature was a bit off? Sometimes everyone’s oven runs differently. Try checking the moisture next time.
Dry cake? Sounds like you overbaked it or didn’t measure right. 🤷♂️ I haven’t had that issue when I made it. Were your eggs fresh?
Christmas in a slice! So festive and my family loved it! Can’t wait to serve it at the party!!
I’m so glad to hear your family loved it! It’s such a great festive treat. Do you think it would be good with a different frosting?
I guess the cake is fine, but why cranberry during Christmas? Shouldn’t it be more like gingerbread? Just saying!
Best Christmas cake ever! Will be a holiday staple from now on! 🎄🎂
This cake was a hit at our Christmas dinner! So moist and delicious. Will definitely make it every year!
I thought cranberries were somehow supposed to be cooked before. Seems weird to toss them raw in. 🤔
I found the recipe a bit confusing. I didn’t know how many eggs to use at first. But it turned out okay in the end.
I get what you mean! The instructions can be tricky sometimes. Glad it worked out for you in the end! 😊
I added chocolate chips instead of cranberries. Still great, but kinda defeats the purpose of the recipe, huh? 🤷♀️
Chocolate chips!? That’s like putting pickles on a cake! 😂 But hey, if it tastes good, who am I to judge? Did you add less sugar then?
I followed the recipe exactly but it turned out super dry. Not sure what I did wrong. 😞
Really good but took longer than 35 minutes to bake. I ended up waiting around and getting a bit anxious.
I followed the recipe but my cake turned out super dry. Not sure what went wrong. 😕
Maybe your oven temperature was off? My cake always comes out better when I double-check the temp.
I don’t think you can mess up that bad if you follow it right… did you measure everything correctly? 🤔
My frosting was too runny. Any tips for thickening it up? I’m new to baking.
Yummy yummy! I love cranberries!! 🎉
Cranberries are the best! Can’t wait to try this recipe! 🍰
I used frozen cranberries and the cake turned out great! Super moist!
That’s awesome! I’m so glad it turned out moist. I always thought frozen cranberries wouldn’t be as good, but I guess they work! I’ll have to try this myself.
I dunno about frozen cranberries. Fresh ones are supposed to be better, right? But if it tasted good, who am I to judge? Anyway, happy you liked it!
Yummy! My kids devoured it! Easy to make and the frosting was just perfect. Def gonna make it again!
Too many steps for me. Just buy a cake at the store instead. 😒
Is it supposed to look this dark? I think I may have burned it a bit. Gonna try again!
This cake is a holiday hit! So moist and the cranberries just pop with flavor. Will be making this every Christmas from now on!
I tried this recipe last year and it was a disaster 😩. The batter didn’t rise and the cranberries burnt! Maybe I did something wrong?
Yesss! So happy to hear that! 🎉 This cake is truly a delight. Gonna make it again next week for New Year’s!
Can I use almond milk? Don’t have regular milk at home. Will it work?
Yummy! I added extra vanilla and it was fantastic! Everyone couldn’t believe I made it from scratch.
This cake is so good! Made it for my family gathering and they loved it! Definitely a keeper!
Easy to make and sooo delicious! Definitely making again for Christmas!
Tried to make this but forgot the eggs, oops! It was so crumbly. 😂
I’ve never liked cranberries, but this cake is surprisingly good! Great recipe!
I’m so glad you liked it! Cranberries can be hit or miss, but this cake really shows their potential. Happy baking!
Really? Cranberries in cake? Sounds weird, but if you like it then maybe I’ll try it. Is it sweet or tart? 🤔
It says 2 cups cranberries, but I think that’s too much. Smh. 👎
Yummy! The frosting was to die for! Thx for the recipe! 👍
Why would anyone put cranberries in cake? So weird. Not for me.
Yum! Can’t wait to make this! Cranberries are super festive and tasty. I will add some nuts too I think. Thanks for the recipe!
Looked lovely but mine didn’t rise properly. Maybe I did something wrong? The flavor was okay but I’m not sure I’d make it again.
Can someone tell me if I can use frozen cranberries? Like, are they the same? 😕
Yes, you can use frozen cranberries! Just make sure to thaw them first. They’ll work just fine! 😊
I think fresh is better, but frozen should still be ok. Just don’t think they’ll taste the same. 🤷♂️
This cake is amazing! Perfect for Christmas! 🎄
I tried making this and it turned out a bit dry. Maybe I missed something? 🤔
Maybe you didn’t mix the wet and dry ingredients enough? That can make it dry. Try adding a bit more sour cream next time!
This cake is a holiday game changer! The cranberries add such a refreshing tartness, and the frosting is soooo creamy! Definitely making this again!
I love Christmas baking, and this cake is on point! Just right sweetness! 🎂
I tried this recipe and it’s alright I guess. Not as sweet as I hoped and the cranberries were weird in it. I think I prefer chocolate cake.
Cranberries in a cake? Who thought of that? Seems odd. I’m skeptical but I guess I’ll give it a shot. Hope it don’t taste like medicine!