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Cranberry Cake
Sweet. Tart. Easy Dessert…. or Breakfast? I love this cranberry cake for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that it is DELICIOUS!
But first thing’s first… This cake is NOT good for you. It’s got loads of butter and sugar. It’s not trying to be a healthier version of anything. So let’s just acknowledge that, and move on to more important things like…
Why Cranberry Cake is Awesome:
It’s fast.
The batter whips up in just a few minutes. You might actually have it all done before the oven finishes preheating.
It’s easy.
There’s six ingredients, and five of them are typical pantry/fridge ingredients. The sixth is fresh cranberries.
Cranberries are available in abundance in the fall right around Thanksgiving and Christmas. I always grab a few small bags when they’re on sale and put them in my freezer. Fresh cranberries freeze beautifully, just defrost them fully before you use them in a recipe. (Especially this recipe – see the Notes at the bottom of the recipe card for why!)
It’s not just dessert!
My family usually makes this cake for Thanksgiving or Christmas. But we don’t have it just as a dessert… we also love it as a breakfast item! In fact, we usually make it for Christmas breakfast. Seriously, this sweet, tart, gooey cake pairs beautifully with savory breakfast items like an egg casserole, veggie omelette, bacon and sausage, etc.
It’s not much different than a doughnut or breakfast pastry!
My Family
It’s freezes.
Cranberry cake freezes very well. It’s the perfect thing to make in advance and have on hand before a busy holiday/entertaining season. Just pull it out of the freezer the day before you need it and viola! Easy dessert or breakfast *check*.
It’s flexible.
You can bake this cake in a variety of pan sizes. You will just have to adjust the baking time based on how thick it is in the pan, and watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. (I’ve done that… it turns into a brick and doesn’t want to come out of the pan.) Learn from my mistakes, watch the time and take it out when it’s lightly golden brown on top.
My go-to pan for a long time was this standard 9×13 Pyrex pan. (I love this one with the lid!) But I’ve also seen my aunt split the batter between a couple 9″ round cake pans. And this year, my mom showed me that it’s AMAZING in a rimmed cookie sheet! Why? Because it’s THINNER.
Seriously, it’s better when it’s thinner. This batter is much more like a brownie batter (chewy and gooey) than a normal cake batter (light and fluffy). So really, these could be considered “cranberry blondies”. In fact, I nearly named this recipe “cranberry blondies” because they’re so good this way… but I’ve called it cranberry cake my whole life, so I can’t change now. 🙂
Check out the notes at the bottom of the recipe card for more tips and tricks!
My Recommended Products:
If you feel adventuresome, try baking this cake like “blondies” in your rimmed cookie sheet! If you don’t have one (or aren’t sure what size to use), check out these pans on Amazon. Below are links to the size of cookie sheet I have (“half sheet”) and a matching lid for easy storage!
But if “blondies” aren’t your style, check out my favorite 9×13 Pyrex baking dish + lid. I love my Pyrex pans that I got off my Amazon wedding registry, so they will often pop up in my recommendations. Pyrex dishes are easy to clean, dishwasher safe, easy to store leftovers in, and so very versatile.
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I hope you enjoy this gooey, delicous Cranberry Cake! If you have questions, please comment below. As always, I would love feedback and your reviews of the recipe!
Cranberry Cake
Sweet. Tart. Easy Dessert.... or Breakfast 🙂
Ingredients
Cake Batter:
- 1 1/2 c. Butter, melted
- 3 c. Sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 1 T. Vanilla
- 2 c. Flour
- 4 c. (1 bag) Cranberries, fresh*
Topping:
- 1/3 c. Sugar
Instructions
- Melt the butter in the microwave (or on the stovetop, if you prefer). Allow to cool for a minute or two so it doesn’t cook the eggs in the next step. If you can comfortably touch it with your finger, it should be fine.
- Cream together the sugar and eggs until smooth.
- Add the melted/cooled butter and the vanilla to the mixture. It is important that the butter is fully melted, not soft. If it’s just softened, the batter will be VERY stiff and difficult to spread into the pan.
- Add the flour and mix until combined.
- Wash the fresh* cranberries and pick out any “bad” ones. Add the cranberries to the batter and mix. It’s ok if some of them burst, the juice will make pretty red swirls in the cake.
- Pour the batter into a greased cookie sheet (an 18x13 "half sheet" with a rim**). Sprinkle sugar over the whole top.
- Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until lightly golden on top and a toothpick comes out mostly clean. (Remember, it's supposed to be a little gooey.) Do not overbake or the cake will turn into a brick and be impossible to get out of the pan.
- Serve as a dessert or even alongside some eggs for breakfast!
Notes
* I love to stock up on fresh cranberries in the fall when they’re in season, then freeze them. They’ll last up to a year. Just defrost before using like normal.
DO NOT try to “save time” by putting frozen cranberries in the batter. They will make the butter harden and the batter will turn into a super cold block that is completely un-spreadable and you'll have to wait for it to come back to room temperature before being able to get it in the pan. (Not speaking from experience or anything...)
**This batter does not "rise" much, so if the batter fits in the pan, it will work. If you're not comfortable with trying it in a cookie sheet, a 9x13 Pyrex pan will work as well (I love this 9x13 with a lid!). This will make the cake thicker, so you'll have to bake it longer (55-60 minutes).
MAKE AHEAD / FREEZE: This cake is easy to make in advance and have on hand for a busy holiday/entertaining season. To freeze the cake, bake it in a disposable aluminum pan. Wrap it tightly with cling wrap, then with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 261Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 62mgSodium 104mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 0gSugar 28gProtein 2g
This Nutritional information was calculated by Nutritionix.com based on the above ingredients list, and is provided as an estimation. Actual results may vary based on brands of ingredients and measurement accuracy. Serving size assumes cutting the cookie-sheet-cake in a 4x6 grid.
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