This Cranberry Bundt Cake has a soft and moist crumb and is surprisingly easy to make. It’s the perfect Christmas cake covered in a simple orange glaze and studded with Sugared Cranberries.
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Easy Cranberry Cake Video Tutorial:
If you loved our Cranberry Orange Scones you already know it’s an irresistible flavor combination. This cranberry cake recipe is everything you love about a classic Cranberry Orange loaf but is so festive baked in a bundt pan.
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Why we love Bundt Cakes:
Bundt cakes are probably the easiest kind of cake to make, but it looks super impressive. It’s baked in a single bundt cake pan, and there is no layering or frosting required. A simple glaze is usually all you need.
Bundt cakes typically have a heavy batter that bakes into a rich, moist crumb. It is such a satisfying cake and keeps really well so you can make it ahead.
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake:
This bundt cake has staple baking ingredients and a generous amount of fresh cranberries. You’ll love that juicy burst of fresh cranberry flavor in every bite.
- Eggs and Buttermilk – add moisture and balance sweetness (make sure they are room temperature)
- Flour – all-purpose works best. Be sure to measure flour correctly.
- Butter – creates a moist, rich crumb
- Oil – use light olive oil or canola oil
- Vanilla Extract – we use homemade for the best flavor
- Leavening: Baking powder gives the cake perfect rise while baking soda neutralizes and is activated by the buttermilk
- Orange zest – from 1 whole orange for the cake and glaze
- Fresh cranberries – rinse, pat dry, and toss these in 1/2 Tbsp flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom.
- Sugared Cranberries – an edible decoration which makes this cake look and taste like Christmas morning.
The Best Glaze for Bundt Cakes:
Most glazes are a simple combination of powdered sugar and some liquid like milk or water. Using orange juice and a bit of orange zest takes this glaze to the next level. We used a similar glaze on our Blueberry Lemon Muffins and they were a hit.
How to Make Cranberry Bundt Cake:
A homemade bundt cake is easier than you think. You can make this cake with a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer.
- Prep: generously butter a bundt pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Beat eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl on high speed until pale (3 minutes).
- Wet ingredients: Add oil, butter, and vanilla, mixing between each addition, then mix in buttermilk.
- Dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix to combine.
- Add cranberries and zest: Toss cranberries with 1/2 Tbsp flour and fold them into the batter along with 1 Tbsp orange zest.
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350˚F for 55-60 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely before drizzling with orange glaze.
Common Questions:
Bundt pans come in all shapes and sizes. I use a non-stick bundt pan to ensure the easiest release. Our go-to is a 10″ diameter 12-cup bundt pan which is a standard size.
If using a smaller 10-cup bundt pan, you will need to adjust the ingredients proportionally. We have a tool in the recipe card to adjust ingredient amounts (click on the serving size).
If using dried cranberries, soak them in some orange juice for at least 15 minutes to plump and moisten them up. Drain well before using.
Frozen cranberries work great and there is no need to thaw.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs.
Once the bundt cake is out of the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes then place a wire rack over the bundt cake and carefully invert using oven mitts (the pan will be hot). You can tap the pan over the rack to help release it.
The most likely culprit is not buttering and flouring the pan sufficiently. A non-stick bundt pan also helps. Under-baking or turning the cake onto a rack without resting can also cause the cake to break.
Bundt cakes are so easy to make but they always look impressive. This cranberry orange bundt cake is the whole package – it’s beautiful and the flavor and texture are excellent.
More Christmas Cakes and Desserts to try:
If you love this Cranberry Bundt Cake, then you won’t want to miss these Christmas cakes and our most popular holiday treats.
- Tiramisu Yule Log – this cake log will impress everyone
- Pomegranate Christmas Cake – elegant and delicious
- Baklava – can be made ahead for easy entertaining
- Cherry Christmas Cake – a simple, and darling cake
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad – a potluck favorite and our #1 holiday dessert
- Classic Tiramisu – this is always a hit at holiday gatherings
Cranberry Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cranberry Orange Cake:
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (not hot)
- 1/3 cup light olive oil or canola oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp orange zest, from 1 orange, plus more for glaze
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed, dried and tossed with 1/2 Tbsp flour
For the Orange Glaze and Topping:
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, or to reach desired consistency
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 cup sugared cranberries, optional garnish
Instructions
How to Make Cranberry Bundt Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350˚F with a rack in the center of the oven. Generously butter and flour a bundt pan, tapping out excess flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs and sugar for 3 minutes on high speed, until pale in color.
- Add olive oil, then melted butter, and finally vanilla extract, blending between each ingredient then mix in buttermilk until well blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt then mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed until no flour streaks remain.
- Toss cranberries with 1/2 Tbsp flour and fold them into the batter along with 1 Tbsp orange zest.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350˚F for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs. Cool 15 minutes in pan then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely before drizzling with orange glaze.
To Make the Orange Glaze:
- In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice, and a bit of orange zest. Stir together until smooth. You should have a thick pourable consistency. Add more orange juice to thin out the glaze and more powdered sugar to thicken it up.
I’ve made this cake a couple of times and it’s always fantastic. I want to make it again, but there are no fresh cranberries in stores right now. Could I use frozen cranberries?
Hi Amelia! Yes, you can. See my note in the common questions section for instructions on this.
I just made this recipe for the first time and it turned out so good! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
You’re very welcome!
Hello – how different is this recipe from your orange/cranberry bread loaf? I made this one at Christmas and everyone raved about it. I was going to make a few loaves of the orange/cranberry bread loaf this time for some neighbors since they’re smaller and it’s easier to make more of them – but didn’t want to do it if its very different from this recipe.
Hi Jessica! The ingredients are very similar (quantities and method a bit different). I think that if you love the bread version, you’ll really enjoy this cake too.
I completely understand why at this point, Natasha has to pay people to take care of her social media posts/replies/comments. But when someone has a question specific to how 2 of her recipes taste and compare, it really only makes sense to have someone who has actually tasted both to reply and answer the question.
Hi Jessica, they are very similar in taste and texture. If you compare the recipes side by side, our response will make sense. I hope you love it and yes, this is Natasha responding. Stay tuned we have a blueberry bread coming soon that is just as amazing!
Thank you, I appreciate it! I made several of the bundt cakes at Christmas for several of our elderly neighbors and they all loved them. They all want more but I thought the bread loaves would be easier to make several of. Just don’t want any of them fussing at me cause it’s not the same haha. I appreciate your help!
This cake was everything! I substituted oat flour for the all purpose flour to be gluten free and subbed the oil with fresh applesauce. Will definitely make again. And again!!!
Hi Megan, thanks for sharing! I’m glad that you were able to make this recipe gluten free and it was a success!
Easy to make. I almost didn’t get any. Brothers ate it all. Used fresh cranberries. Refreshing!
Hi Cathy! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Hi it’s a good cake but mine came out dry and heavy. Not moist at all .
Hi Lucy, I’m so sorry to here that. Did you possible add too much flour to the recipe? I recommend taking a look at the video and read through the steps again to ensure a step wasn’t missed. I wish I could be more helpful. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
It was a good cake but the cranberries left my husband and me with heartburn. Too acidic.
Don’t know if the orange zest and cranberries were too much together.
Hi Tina! Thank you for trying the recipe. We haven’t had the cranberry/orange combination be overwhelming in this recipe but some cranberries can be more tart than others.
Can I make this cake ahead? its ok if I make it the night before?
Yes, this cake keeps well for a few days. You can refrigerate it or keep it at at room temperature overnight covered or in an airtight container.
I loved this recipe and so did my husband who almost devoured the whole thing!
I added walnuts and made the sugared cranberries which were amazing!
It was a perfect addition to my Christmas menu and I will definitely be making it again.
I’m so glad to hear that, Kathleen! Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
I made this yesterday, and it just seemed like it was really dry. I followed through directions exactly. I decided to cut a slice out of it today before I fed it to my guest for Christmas and I’m really glad that I did. Because it is dry! The sugared cranberries are pretty.
Hi Patricia! It shouldn’t be dry. Did you use a different size pan? Common reason for this happening is over-baking or using too much flour. Did you measure correctly? I have a tutorial on How to measure ingredients . Be sure to fluff the flour and spoon it into the measuring up, then level it off. I hope that helps.
Mine was dry. I measured the flour very carefully and baked it 58 minutes. I cannot figure it out! Made it for Christmas, but no one liked it. So sorry!
HI Liz, I’m sorry to hear that. Dry usually is due to adding too much flour, overmixing or overbaking. Make sure you are baking in a conventional oven and not on convection mode. Convection bakes faster.
Good morning & Merry Christmas Eve! Made this the other night & it turned out beautifully! The glaze did turn clear when drizzled on the cake tho’ & I decided to garnish with toasted pecans instead of sugared cranberries. Cake was very moist & tasted awesome!
Hi Yvonne! I’m so glad you loved it. Merry Christmas.
Can I bake it in mini bundt cake pans to share with family? I love the cake!
Hi Lily! I’m sure that could work. I just haven’t tested it myself to know how many mini bundt cakes this recipe would make and how long to bake them for. The temperature can stay the same but you’ll have to watch them in the oven since they will bake a lot faster.
I made this for Thanksgiving and I have to tell you, I was not a fan when I tasted it. It was a bit heavy/dense. Everyone who had a slice told me I am my own worst critic, and it was good. So the next day, I tasted it again and let me tell you – it was so good! Maybe I was too stressed that day to truly appreciate it? I will definitely be making it again soon!! PS – your cookbook is in my Christmas wish list 😉
Hi Lupe! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback. I’m so glad you loved this recipe.
I made it for Thanksgiving and again for a Christmas party. It was the show-stopper for looks and taste. For the 2nd time making it I also made baby bundt cakes and put them around the big one – added fresh rosemary from my garden. I’ve shared the recipe at least a dozen times.
That’s great, Mary! Thank you for sharing.
Add a good pinch of ground allspice to the glaze and it is amazing. Love this cake.
Thank you, glad you loved it!
Aloha, I need to make 6 of these cakes for Christmas gifts. Can the cake be frozen and decorated after thawing.
Hi Connie, that will work. If you’re wanting to freeze it, let it cool, wrap it in plastic, and then in foil. I would add the cranberries & decor when you defrost it. 🙂
Oh my word! This cake was a huge hit at Thanksgiving! Those sugared cranberries on top set it over the top! The orange and cranberry together is nothing less than perfection! Such a delicious and beautiful cake! Thanks Natasha for bringing us these wonderful recipes! I’ve ordered my cookbook!!
Yay that’s awesome! Thank you so much for the love and support, I appreciate it.
I made this cake for Thanksgiving and it was absolutely delicious!!
Thank you so much for sharing, Cindy. We’re happy that you loved it!
Hi Natasha,
I have made a lot of your recipes and all are excellent!
Question: 2 C sugar is a lot, and I would like to use maple syrup as a replacement. Would 1/2 cup be too little? Or what else could I use?
Thanks!
Hi Diane! I have not tested that to advise. The sugar impacts the moisture and texture of the cake, so I am not sure what it would be like with less. I read through the comments but I don’t see that anyone has tried or shared their experience with either of these substitutions. Let us know if you experiment.