Cranberry Christmas Cake
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Tart cranberries pair perfectly with a tender, sweet cake in this delicious Cranberry Christmas Cake. This recipe is a keeper and perfect for the holidays!
*This recipe was originally published in December 2016. The photos have been updated and the post has been modified to include more recipe information.
First of all, let me start by saying – this is my kind of recipe! A Cranberry Christmas Cake that only requires a few simple ingredients. How fabulous is that? And, look how beautiful and festive this cake is – It’s the perfect Christmas treat. I was so excited to make this cake and once I took my first bite, it became my absolute favorite cake.
Recipe Ingredients
If you make one recipe this Christmas, it has to be this Cranberry Christmas Cake. It’s festive and perfect for this time of year. Simple ingredients transform into a festive holiday dessert that everyone will love! To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Butter – softened
- Vanilla
- Almond extract (optional)
- Flour
- Cranberries
It’s the perfect cake for so many reasons. It requires little effort and no icing is required. The tart cranberries compliment the sweet cake and you can make it for breakfast or dessert. It’s a great sweet treat if your headed to a work luncheon or holiday party. I will tell you one thing – everyone will love it and want the recipe so be prepared when they ask.
Make sure you stock up on lots of cranberries so you can make this Cranberry Christmas Cake. I’m headed back to the store today so I can make this cake for breakfast on Christmas morning. Who ever said you can’t eat cake for breakfast?
Recipe Notes
- It is better to use fresh cranberries. If you only have frozen cranberries, I recommend letting them thaw for a bit before preparing the cake. Just take them out with the butter and let them both soften up a bit.
- There is no baking soda or baking powder in this recipe. You will see that the most important step is to beat the eggs for 5 minutes. This provides the necessary leavening for the cake.
- The almond extract is optional. If you don’t want to add, you don’t have to.
- This cake also tastes great with walnuts, pecans, and almond slices added.
- Sit back and enjoy this recipe because it tastes amazing! And don’t worry if you eat most of it without sharing. You can always bake another cake.
- Substitute the cranberries for blueberries, blackberries and other berries to enjoy this dessert all year long.
- I recommend making two cakes. One for yourself to enjoy and one to share.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes. This cake can be made with frozen cranberries. Let them thaw for a little while so they don’t freeze the batter when mixing them in.
How should I store the cake?
This is a great cake to make ahead of time. Cover and store the cake at room temperature for 3 days, or refrigerate for up to one week. This cake also freezes well. Wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months.
Can I use different size pans?
Yep! Feel free to bake this recipe in different size pans. You can even use a muffin pan and mini loaf pans. Just make sure to adjust cooking times.
More Easy Holiday Desserts
PrintCranberry Christmas Cake
Tart cranberries pair perfectly with a tender, sweet cake in this delicious Cranberry Christmas Cake. This recipe is a definite keeper!
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 cups flour
- 1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- Beat eggs and sugar in large mixing bowl for 5 minutes. This is the most important step. Please do not skip. The mixture should almost double in size and will thicken.
- Add butter and vanilla and continue to mix.
- Mix in flour until well combined.
- Stir in cranberries.
- Spread batter in baking pan.
- Bake 40 – 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool before cutting. Enjoy!
This truly is the best cake and easiest I have ever made!
I made the cake on Christmas day and I meant to take a picture of it before we ate it. It turned out just like the picture on the website or on Pinterest. It’s a beautiful cake and I thank you for the recipe. We loved it. I will make definitely make it again and next time I will take a picture and upload it so everyone can see it. Thank you again
★★★★★
This looks so good! It is so beautiful too! There are so many pretty ways to garnish it too!
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
Hello, I want to make these in a mini loaf pan, 5 23/32in by 3 5/16in x1 7/8in
How full do I make them and how long should I bake them? Thank you
Hello, how full and how long to bake to make muffins with this recipe? Thank you for your time. I’ve made this recipe in a 13×9. And it is one of my favorites!
It’s so good at Thanksgiving everyone loves it 💕
I have a very similar recipe. We call them cranberry squares.
Absolutely delicious~ Hard to gift a 9×13 and trying to make breads is not working. Any suggestions for how long to bake and HOW TO GET OUT OF PAN WITHOUT DIGGING IT OUT?
I should have taken the advice to make 2 cakes! I baked one for a party and we really want to keep it home! So good! I used Smart Balance instead of butter and it was delicious! Going to hunt for more cranberries while they’re available.
★★★★★
That’s dish look delicious! I wanna try to do now.
Has anyone tried adding orange zest to the ingredients? If so, how much?