Tis the season for baking this delicious cranberry orange cake. What a great way to use navel oranges and cranberries that are abundant this holiday season. I’m telling you, it goes well with any hot drink on a cold day. Are you team coffee, tea, or hot cocoa?
What I love about this cranberry orange cake is it’s so easy and quick to whip up and looks impressive. For me, the holidays won’t be complete without baking a festive cake.
Coming from a big family of six kids, lots of cousins, aunts and uncles, our holidays are always fun. Everyone is looking forward to preparing and cooking a feast, visits from relatives and friends, and lots of get-togethers. And because everyone is off from work or school, that makes it more enjoyable.
This festive cake serves 8-10 people so no problem if you have guests. It is best to use fresh cranberries and navel orange. Make sure to pick through the cranberries though. Discard any soft or wrinkled ones.
For added flavor I use vanilla extract and the zest of one navel orange. Because cranberries are so tart, I have found that 6 ounces of fresh cranberries is just the right amount to add in the cake. Butter, eggs and yogurt make the texture of the cake really light. A dusting of powdered sugar on top even makes it more festive.
Cranberry Orange Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 zest of 1 navel orange
- 6 oz. fresh cranberries
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter +more for greasing
- ½ cup Yoplait vanilla yogurt lowfat
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, making sure to rub the sides and bottom.
- Combine cranberries and 1 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl. Mix it together and set aside to macerate.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix together until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream softened butter and 1 cup sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing it after every addition. Mix in vanilla and orange zest.
- Add flour mixture gradually into the egg mixture, mixing well after every addition. Scrape the sides a few times during this process. Add in yogurt and mix well. Stir in cranberries with sugar. Transfer cake batter into the buttered springform pan, level the top with a spatula and bake it in the preheated oven at 350ºF for 50-60 minutes. Check with a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake. It's done when it comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- When cake is done, transfer springform pan in a rack to cool for 10 mins. Then release the springform pan to remove the side. Dust cake with a little powdered sugar. Let cake cool completely on the rack. Serve cake plain or with sweetened whipped cream. Any leftovers can be covered and refrigerated, it will keep for 5 days.