Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake (Print Version)
Moist bundt loaded with tart cranberries and bright orange, ideal for festive gatherings or elegant desserts.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 2 oranges)
09 - 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
→ Cranberries
12 - 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if frozen)
13 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for tossing cranberries)
→ Glaze
14 - 1 cup powdered sugar
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in orange zest, fresh orange juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in sour cream, then add remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth without overmixing.
06 - Toss cranberries with 2 tablespoons flour to coat, then gently fold them into the batter.
07 - Spoon batter into prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top. Tap pan to release air bubbles. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over cooled cake before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cranberries stay tart and distinct instead of disappearing into sweetness, giving you little bursts of flavor in every bite.
- It's elegant enough to serve at a dinner party but simple enough that you won't stress while making it.
- The orange zest and juice create this subtle brightness that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
- It actually tastes even better the next day when the flavors settle and deepen.
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not optional—they're the difference between a light cake and a dense one that tastes like you were stingy with the effort.
- Don't thaw your frozen cranberries; they'll lose their structure and turn everything pink instead of staying as little pockets of tartness.
- Orange zest oxidizes and loses its punch fast, so zest your oranges right before you use them—the difference between zesting an hour early and zesting fresh is genuinely noticeable.
03 -
- Use an offset spatula to smooth the batter in the Bundt pan; it helps you reach those decorative ridges without compressing the batter.
- If you don't have fresh orange juice, bottled will work, but the cake won't sing quite as brightly—fresh juice is one of those places where the small effort pays off.