This lovely Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake recipe captures the cranberries in all their goodness! Cranberries are the taste of the holiday season and each bite of this pound cake is filled with sweet orange flavor, tart fresh cranberries, and creamy frosting that brings it all together.
This Christmas cranberry pound cake is the perfect addition to your holiday recipe collection. Bundt cakes are always a great choice, not just because of their delicious flavor but also because of all the uniquely shaped pans you can choose from. This decadent pound cake is perfect for gatherings or simply enjoying home together. It's glazed with a sweet and tangy layer of cream cheese frosting which perfectly complements the delicious fresh cranberries that are baked into the cake and decorated on top.
This orange cranberry pound cake is full of bright flavors that will give your palate a break from all of the bold, warm spiced desserts that also go hand in hand with the holiday season. This classic recipe is perfect for Christmas dessert and even makes a gorgeous gift for your loved ones.
They will be amazed by the delicious holiday flavors and surely be asking you for the recipe so they can make this pound cake over and over again. If you're new to baking, you might be wondering what gives pound cake its name. Traditionally, a pound cake is made with a pound each of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. This combination creates a dense, delicious cake fit for any occasion.
One of the best things about pound cakes is that they are incredibly versatile. They can be flavored in various ways and baked up in bundt cake pans or even loaf pans. While some recipes use cake flour, for this cranberry cake recipe, I've opted for a mix of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Blending in whole wheat flour is a great way to increase the nutrients in the recipe without sacrificing the taste or texture!
For more delicious pound cake options, be sure to try my lemon kamut pound cake and my walnut pound cake with fresh figs!
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Why this recipe works
Seasonal flavors-I love the dense pound cake studded with fresh cranberries and laced with orange zest. It is the perfect combination- It's a little sweet, a little tart, and a whole lot of delicious!
Perfect for gatherings- This pretty dessert is a showstopper. I baked it in a swirled bundt pan, but it can also be baked in a loaf pan as well. Whichever way you choose to bake it, your friends and family will be impressed. The sugared cranberries and creamy glaze on top combine to make this cranberry pound cake absolutely picture-perfect.
Uses whole-wheat flour-I know this isn't a particularly healthy recipe, but I tried to make it a little better for you with the addition of whole-wheat flour. Wheat flour on its own can taste strong, but I used a mix of all-purpose and wheat flour to give this cake some extra fiber and nutrients. It's so delicious no one will know it has wheat flour.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter and Oil- Oil keeps cakes super moist, and butter adds amazing flavor. Rather than stick to just one, I like to use a blend of both for the most tender cakes that still have that buttery flavor. I use canola oil, but if you are opposed to this, you can always use mild-flavored olive oil, vegetable oil, refined coconut oil, or your favorite neutral oil.
- Granulated Sugar- I generally don't use much sugar in my recipes, but it's necessary to balance the tartness of the cranberries. In the recipe box, I will add adjustments you can make if you want less sugar.
- Eggs- Pound cakes use lots of eggs! This gives them the rich taste we all love. It's important to use room-temperature eggs for this recipe. Room-temperature eggs will incorporate into the batter much better and mix quicker to help you avoid overmixing.
- Vanilla Extract- A little vanilla extract goes a long way! It adds aroma and a delicious depth of flavor to your cranberry pound cake.
- Orange Zest- This is where the orange undertones come from; make sure and use the full amount. Zest adds a bright flavor and livens up the entire cake. When zesting the orange be sure to avoid the pith or white layer under the skin. It's very bitter and can affect your recipe if you get too much of it in the bowl. Just be sure to swipe the orange only a couple of times before turning it to avoid grating into the pith.
- All-Purpose Flour and Whole Wheat Pastry Flour- I love to use a blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flours in my baking. Whole wheat pastry flour is a favorite for my cakes as it is a lower protein flour that produces a much more tender cake. If you haven't used it before, I recommend it. Just be sure you are purchasing whole wheat pastry flour. It's more finely milled and made from soft spring wheat. Regular whole wheat flour is milled from hard red wheat and has a much grittier texture and a more robust taste.
- Baking Powder- This recipe only uses a teaspoon of baking powder. It's important to give it rise but not too much so we can still have that classic, dense pound cake texture. If you don't often bake, be sure to check that your baking powder is fresh because it begins to lose potency after about six months of opening.
- Salt- Salt accentuates the flavors in the cake, bringing out all their best qualities. It also balances the sweetness, but don't worry, it won't make your pound cake taste salty in the least.
- Sour Cream- Sour cream is acidic, and acid is an important part of cake recipes. It aids in leavening and also gives the cake a tender crumb. I wouldn't recommend skipping it, but if needed, you can substitute for equal amounts of greek yogurt.
Cranberries- Fresh cranberries work the best, but you can swap them with frozen cranberries in a pinch. If you use frozen, just be sure to thaw them in a bowl of cool water and pat them completely dry before adding them to your recipe. Previously frozen cranberries may shed more color than fresh cranberries.
How to Make Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
Before starting your recipe, it's always a good idea to collect all of the ingredients, preheat the oven and set aside your prepared loaf pan or bundt cake pan. This will save you time and make the recipe flow faster. Let's get started!
Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, oil, and sugar together. Slowly add in the eggs, one at a time, while mixing. Add in the vanilla and orange zest with the last egg.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients
Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, folding them together until just combined.
Roughly chop your cranberries and coat them with a tablespoon of flour. Add them to your batter and fold in with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Bake the cranberry pound cake
Pour the batter into your prepared bundt or loaf pan. Bake for about 60 minutes. When done, a toothpick inserted should come out clean, and the top should be golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Then gently invert onto a cooling rack.
Make the sugared cranberries
If you are using sugared cranberries for topping, let's start while baking the cake. For the simple syrup, you'll use a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar to the pan, then pour in the water. The sugar will dissolve, and the syrup will slightly thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries until well coated with syrup.
Pour the cranberries onto a wire rack over a sheet pan. This will let most of the simple syrup drain. Let these sit for at least an hour.
Once the cake is cooled, if the cranberries are ready, sprinkle with the remaining sugar and roll to coat the berries.
Mix the cream cheese frosting
Once the cake has cooled slightly, let's make the orange cream cheese icing. Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange juice until well combined.
Top the cake with the cream cheese topping, then add the candied cranberries.
Isn't this beautiful??
If you are using sugared cranberries for topping, let’s start those while the cake is baking. Make your simple syrup, sugar, and water. Over medium heat, dissolve the sugar. Stir in the cranberries until well coated.
Pour them onto a cooling rack over a sheet pan. This will let most of the simple syrup drain. Let these sit for at least an hour.
Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Then gently invert onto a cooling rack.
While it is cooling, if the cranberries are ready, sprinkle with the remaining sugar and roll to coat the berries.
Once it has cooled slightly, let’s make the cream cheese topping. Mix the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix well.
Top the cake with the cream cheese topping, then add the candied cranberries.
Isn’t this beautiful??
Tips for baking cranberry pound cake
There are a few things to note about this Christmas cranberry pound cake that will help you to get the perfect cake the first time.
- Room temperature eggs and butter- Make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature. They will blend much better if they are both the same temp, which will help you avoid overtaxing. To bring them quickly to room temperature, you can place the whole eggs and wrapped butter in bowls of cool water. They should warm up in about 15-20 minutes.
- Chop the berries- I like to rough chop my cranberries. I think the whole berries are pretty big in the cake if you don't. If that doesn't bother you, keep them whole.
- Avoid overmixing/overbaking-When you add the flour mixture, make sure not to overmix. This is always important in making cakes, but even more with the wheat flour in this recipe. Overmixing can make the cake tough and dry.
Overbaking the cake can also make the cake dry. You can test with the toothpick method, which is the easiest. You can also test the cake with an instant-read thermometer. You will want this cake to be about 200 degrees. - Properly prepare the bundt cake pan- Properly prepare your bundt pan to avoid sticking. Bundt cakes are beautiful, and all the different shapes of pans can be very exciting. However, it's frustrating for a cake to stick and ruin the design, so it's definitely worth the time to make the pan is nonstick as possible. It only takes a minute or so, but it is worth it. I like to brush the bundt pan with melted butter, then sprinkle and lightly coat it with flour.
Tips for baking with whole wheat flour
I get asked all the time about baking with whole wheat flour. Most people have had bad experiences with whole-grain baked goods. But let me tell you, it does not have to be this way!
Not only did I learn to bake with whole grains in culinary school, but I worked at a wonderful whole grain bakery that taught me all about working with a wide variety of whole grains.
Let me share a few tips that will help ease your fears and educate you more on the subject.
- Start in moderation- You will notice this recipe is about half and half. Half refined flour, half whole wheat flour. I think it is best to start this way. If you are comfortable baking whole grains, this is a great recipe to go 100% whole wheat on.
- Don't overmix- Once the flour mixture is added, mix until combined, then stop. Don't worry about every small lump in the batter. This will always result in a tough cake regardless of the flour used, but it is especially important when it comes to whole wheat flour.
- Be mindful of bake time- I always hear people saying you need to add in more hydration with wheat flour, which is true, but in the case of cakes, cookies, muffins, etc., baking time is much more critical. All baked goods will continue to bake even after they are removed from the oven, and this is called carry-over cooking. This is important to understand when baking with whole-grain flour.
Whole grain flour will absorb more liquid, so if you bake them perfectly in the oven, they will continue to bake after it is taken out and become dry.
How do you solve this? Underbake just slightly. This pound cake recipe and the times given are designed with this in mind!
FAQ
I highly recommend whole wheat pastry flour. Although whole wheat flours are similar to white flour, there are different protein levels (and other things).
This will significantly affect the outcome of your baked goods. Whole wheat pastry flour is more finely ground and lighter than standard whole wheat flour.
It can! This recipe is designed to go either way.
It can! This recipe is designed to go either way. Simply substitute for equal parts all-purpose flour.
Exactly like the original. When you do a blend of whole wheat flour and white flour, you can get a baked good with almost the same texture as the original.
The reason for this is the cake is too delicate when it first comes out of the oven. Giving it time to sit will help it to have a little more structural strength and ensure those intricate details from the pan don't get lost or stuck. Don't leave it in too long though, you'll want to remove it while it's still a little warm.
If you have leftovers or simply enjoy having quick access to your Christmas cranberry pound cake even out of season, you can easily freeze it. If you're making extras, leave the cake unfrosted and save that step for when you're ready to enjoy it for the best results.
You can freeze the entire cake or individual slices. Be sure to enjoy it within 2-3 months for the best texture and taste.
Dried cranberries aren't a good substitution in this recipe. For the full flavor, you need fresh cranberries and all the tasty juice that comes with them. Dried cranberries just won't give you the same results
Other Cranberry Recipes
- Easy Cranberry Syrup
- Chicken salad with cranberries and pecans
- Cranberry orange mocktail
- Linzer cookies with cranberry filling
- Cranberry Swirl Loaf
- Apple Cranberry Pie
- Cranberry orange star brioche
Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
Equipment
- 10 cup bundt pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons for flouring your bundt pan.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup canola oil or other neutral oil of choice
- 5 eggs room temp
- 2 cups granulated sugar you could easily reduce this to 1 ½ cups, or even 1.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons orange zest
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 1 ½-2 cups fresh cranberries rough chop
- 1 tablespoon melted butter for buttering your pan.
Sugared cranberries
- ½ cup granulated
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
Orange Cream Cheese Icing
- 3 tablespoons softened cream cheese
- 2 ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3-5 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush your bundt pan with the melted butter. Then sprinkle in the flour and tap to coat the pan. Set this aside. In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer, add the butter, oil, and granulated sugar. With beaters, mix until the batter is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until they are all mixed in.
- Add in the vanilla, sour cream, and orange zest. This time only mix to combine.
- Next up is the flour mixture. Add this in and mix only until it is combined. Do not overmix at this point.
- Last in is the cranberries. I like to mix these with a rubber spatula. Pour into your prepared pan and then into the oven.
- Bake for 60 minutes. Check with a toothpick or instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow this to cool for 15-20 minutes in the pan. Then carefully invert onto your cooling rack.
- I do this by putting the rack on top of the cake, then turning it over while still holding the cake to the rack.
Sugared Cranberries
- While the cake is cooking, let's start the cranberries. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small/medium pan. Once the sugar dissolves, this only takes a few minutes, remove from the heat and add in the cranberries.
- Swirl them around to coat with the simple syrup. Once they are covered, pour them onto a cooling rack sitting on top of a baking sheet. Let them drain and dry slightly for about an hour.
- Then move them to a bowl and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. I like to do this in 2 batches so you aren't crowding and they all get covered well in the sugar. Set them aside until the cake is ready.
Orange Cream Cheese Icing
- Combine all the ingredients for the icing. Mix well until it is smooth. Pour over the cake and top with the sugared cranberries.
Notes
- There are a few things to note about this Christmas cranberry pound cake that will help you to get the perfect cake the first time.
- First, make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature. They will blend so much better if they are both the same temp.
- I like to rough chop my cranberries, I think the whole berries are pretty big in the cake if you don’t. If that doesn’t bother you, keep them whole.
- Adding the eggs one at a time to the batter will ensure they are mixed well.
- When you add the flour mixture, make sure not to overmix. This is always important in making cakes, but even more with the wheat flour in this recipe.
- I highly recommend whole wheat pastry flour. Whole wheat flours are just like white flours, there are different levels of protein (and other things). This will greatly affect the outcome of your baked goods. My preferred wheat flour for cakes is always whole wheat pastry!
- Do not overbake!! You can test with the toothpick method, which is the easiest. I also like to take the temperature on my cake with an instant-read thermometer. You will want the cake to be about 200 degrees.
- Another really important note, make sure and properly prepare your bundt pan before starting. It takes a minute or so, but it is worth it. I like to brush it with melted butter then sprinkle and lightly coat it with flour. DO NOT SKIP THIS.