Cranberry Cake is a delightful sweet treat, perfect for holidays. With a balanced taste of sweet and tart, it’s moist and easy to make.
It has a tender crumb, sweet buttery taste, with a hint of vanilla and a pop of cranberries.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
Would you like to save this recipe?
Baking around the holiday season can be stressful, especially if you are making several intricate dishes, sides, and desserts. Adding in baking cookies and all the events that typically around the season, and I am left with kitchen burnout.
This is why this cake is so epic. It is SO not complicated. It’s even easier if you use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer! It is the perfect cake to make on Christmas morning, or the night before and serve it as breakfast while.
With a baking time of under an hour, you can mix it and put it in the oven while you brew a cup of coffee or squeeze some orange juice and look forward to it coming out!
It’s always popular, so I usually have to make this a couple of times in a season.
I ALWAYS buy too many bags of fresh cranberries, mainly because I love to freeze them and use them throughout the year, as well as making my homemade cranberry sauce for thanksgiving. I make these one bowl cranberry muffins, too!
After I have made all the things and frozen a bunch, I still have extras. So, I typically make this cake and have it around for whenever we need something sweet with our coffee, or guests stop by.
And if no guests stop by, I consider that kind of a bonus because MORE CAKE FOR ME!!
Love cranberry recipes? Try this Cranberry Orange Biscotti, or my super healthy Breakfast Cookies.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make, bake, and store. Made in a 9×13 pan, this cake recipe is no fuss!
- No fancy ingredients. Unless you call fresh cranberries fancy, of course.
What to serve with cake
This delicious cake can be served as is, or you can add a dollop of whipped cream, powdered sugar or ice cream on top. Why not?!
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
Test the cake for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the thickest part. It should come out clean.
Room temperature eggs are easier to incorporate into the batter and lessen the bake time for your cake.
If you want to be fancy, sprinkle some sparkling or natural sugar over the top of the cake before baking.
A dusting of powdered sugar is great at serving time.
How do I store my cranberry cake?
You can store this cake in the pan, or in an airtight container, at room temperature for a few days, or you can wrap it well with plastic wrap without a cover.
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Feel free to enjoy this cake all year round by using frozen cranberries. If you do use frozen cranberries, make sure to thaw them completely before adding them into the batter, and just a heads up – the cranberries are likely to tint your batter pink.
Can I use dried cranberries?
I do not recommend using dried cranberries. This cake is very sweet and that sweetness is offset by the tart cranberries. The fresh (or frozen) cranberries add to the moisture of the cake.
Substitutions/Additions
Almond extract can be used instead of vanilla extract if you prefer.
Add a little orange zest to the batter if you have an orange handy!
The plain yogurt can be replaced with vanilla yogurt, but be aware that it will add more sweetness to the cake. You could use sour cream if you prefer.
This cake tastes great with chopped pecans or walnuts!
Freezing instructions
To freeze, let it cool completely, wrap it (in or out of the pan) in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Label and use within a few months.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
Recommended Equipment/Tools
- 9×13 Pan: You’ll be greasing this or lining it with parchment paper.
- Parchment Paper (optional): if you choose to line the pan.
- Electric Mixer: to beat together sugar and butter, as well as incorporate eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. This could be a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
- Mixing Bowl: if you are using a hand mixer, or if your stand mixer’s bowl isn’t detachable. You may also need additional bowls to hold separated ingredients.
- Spatula or Scraper: to scrape down the bowl as needed and to fold in cranberries and white chocolate chips.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: to measure ingredients accurately.
- Toothpick: to check the doneness of the cake.
- Cooling Rack: to allow the cake to cool.
How to make this cake recipe
Scroll for Recipe
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
If using frozen cranberries, let them sit on the counter while getting things ready. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease or line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
Make the cake batter
In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Add eggs, one egg at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. (As you add ingredients, scrape down the bowl as needed).
Mix in the yogurt and vanilla.
Add the all-purpose flour and baking powder on low speed, just until incorporated. You may also gently fold this in by hand.
Clean off the beaters and fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips by hand.
The dough will be very thick and hard to stir. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients.
Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Put the pan on the middle rack of the oven, away from the sides of the oven.
Bake for 50-60 minutes in a 9×13 pan, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Set the pan on top of a wire rack and let cool before cutting and serving.
More delicious sweet recipes:
- Slutty Brownies Make this decadent dessert from scratch! With cookie dough on the base, oreos in the middle and brownie batter poured over the top, these are the ultimate dessert!
- Oreo Dirt Pudding Parfaits. Make this classic chocolatey deliciousness into individual servings, for an easy dessert!
- Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pie. Flaky pie crust filled with a custard-like filling, that will invoke memories of times gone by.
- Apple Dumplings. Tart apples wrapped in a flaky biscuit and smothered in a buttery vanilla sauce. Topped with crunchy cinnamon sugar, this is a super easy recipe that delivers on taste!
Get free recipes in your inbox!
Find me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
If you make this recipe, please comment and let me know how it turned out and leave a star rating!
Fresh Cranberry Cake (super easy to make!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries (frozen can be used, see notes)
- 1 ¼ cups white chocolate chips
Directions
Get prepared
- If using frozen cranberries, let them sit on the counter while getting things ready.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease or line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
Make the batter
- Beat together 2 cups white sugar and 1 cup butter (softened) until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add each of the 3 large eggs, one at a time. As you add ingredients, scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Mix in ¾ cup plain yogurt and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
- Add 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder on low speed, just until incorporated.
- Clean off the beaters and fold in 1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries and 1 ¼ cups white chocolate chips by hand.
- The dough will be very thick and hard to stir. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients.
Bake
- Press the dough into the prepared pan.
- Put the pan on the middle rack of the oven, away from the sides of the oven.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes in a 9×13 pan, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Set the pan on top of a cooling rack and let cool before cutting and serving.
Serve
- Top with whipped cream, powdered sugar or icecream (or nothing at all).Devour.
Would you like to save this recipe?
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Leave a Reply