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.

Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake on a platter with slice removed

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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.

Cranberry orange cake glazed and topped with sugared cranberries

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.
Ingredients for cranberry cake

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.

Glazed slice of bundt cake on a plate

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.

  1. Prep: generously butter a bundt pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
  2. Beat eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl on high speed until pale (3 minutes).
  3. Wet ingredients: Add oil, butter, and vanilla, mixing between each addition, then mix in buttermilk. 
  4. Dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix to combine.
  5. Add cranberries and zest: Toss cranberries with 1/2 Tbsp flour and fold them into the batter along with 1 Tbsp orange zest.
  6. 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. 
How to make cranberry cake batter and prep bundt pan

Common Questions:

What is the best pan for bundt cakes? 

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.

Can I make this in a smaller bundt pan?

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).

Can I substitute dried cranberries?

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.

Can I use frozen cranberries?

Frozen cranberries work great and there is no need to thaw.

How to tell when bundt cake is done baking?

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs.

How to remove bundt cake from the pan?

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.

Why did my bundt cake fall apart?

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 cake baked in pan

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.

Cranberry Orange Cake Ready to be served

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.

Cranberry Bundt Cake Recipe

4.96 from 245 votes
Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake on a platter with slice removed
Cranberry Bundt Cake with a soft and moist crumb, orange glaze, and fresh cranberries. Cranberry Orange Cake is the perfect holiday dessert.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Chilling Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 12 people

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:

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.

Nutrition Per Serving

497kcal Calories76g Carbs5g Protein20g Fat9g Saturated Fat74mg Cholesterol190mg Sodium144mg Potassium2g Fiber50g Sugar466IU Vitamin A5mg Vitamin C57mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Cranberry Bundt Cake Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
497
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
20
g
31
%
Saturated Fat
 
9
g
56
%
Cholesterol
 
74
mg
25
%
Sodium
 
190
mg
8
%
Potassium
 
144
mg
4
%
Carbohydrates
 
76
g
25
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
50
g
56
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
 
466
IU
9
%
Vitamin C
 
5
mg
6
%
Calcium
 
57
mg
6
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry bundt cake, cranberry cake, cranberry orange cake
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 497
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.96 from 245 votes (159 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Michele McCreadie
    December 7, 2020

    Hi Natasha, I made this cake yesterday but couldn’t use fresh cranberries as I live in South Africa (not easy to find) I was out of dried cranberries so I used chopped medjool dates. It was amazing. (dates and orange zest…. what a wonderful combination!) Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. I love all your recipes…… you are a wonderful chef 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 7, 2020

      Oh, that’s so nice! I haven’t tried that before, thanks for sharing that with us. It is so helpful for others who cannot find cranberries too. Thanks, Michele!

      Reply

  • Maryam
    December 6, 2020

    Hey Natasha I have a request from you…my freind gifted me a waffle machine recently…I tried making waffles from various recipies…but could not get the perfect crispy waffle… please.. I want a recipe for perfect ,crispy and tasty waffle…and Thankyou for such awesome recipes…Maryam…

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 7, 2020

      Hi Maryam, that’s a nice gift to receive from a friend. I only have this Whole Wheat Waffle recipe at the moment but I’ll take note of your suggestion.

      Reply

      • Maryam
        December 8, 2020

        Thanks I’ll try this

        Reply

  • Maryam
    December 6, 2020

    Hey Natasha I have a request from you …please.. I want a recipe for crispy waffles…my friend gifted me waffle machine recently….I tried making waffles from YouTube and Google but they turned out soft not crispy..I know your recipe will be great and I will be able to make crispy waffles…. And Thankyou for this awesome recipe…maryam

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 8, 2020

      Thanks for your suggestion, Maryam. I’ll make a note of that.

      Reply

  • Marian Sabonjian
    December 6, 2020

    I made this cake for my sister’s birthday and everyone loved it!
    Such a Christmasy cake!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 7, 2020

      Hello Marian, so nice to hear that! Happy Birthday to your sister and I’m glad that everyone enjoyed this beautiful cake.

      Reply

  • John Verlich
    December 6, 2020

    Can I make the sugared cranberries ahead of time ?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 6, 2020

      Hi John, yes you may. You can store cranberries covered at room temperature in a cool, dry environment for up to 2 days. If the sugar starts looking moist, you can re-roll them in a little more sugar to freshen them up.

      Reply

  • LIZ H.
    December 5, 2020

    Can this be made in loaf pans? Been looking for a moist cran orange cake recipe for years and this looks like a winner!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 6, 2020

      Hi Liz, I imagine that would work! If you test it out, I would love to know how you like it.

      Reply

  • Anne
    December 5, 2020

    Do you purchase sugared cranberries or put sugar on the raw ones

    Reply

  • Carol Quinlan
    December 5, 2020

    Are you planning any Christmas cookie recipes!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 5, 2020

      Hi Carol! We have one right HERE! We also have our Christmas cookie roundup HERE. I hope you love this recipe!

      Reply

  • Teri
    December 5, 2020

    can you substitute frozen cranberries for the fresh cranberries?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 6, 2020

      Hi Teri, yes that would work well too and there is no need to thaw.

      Reply

  • Natia
    December 5, 2020

    Hello, can you publish this recipe in grams? Thank you

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 5, 2020

      Hi Natia, most of our recipes have the metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are working through the rest, but as you can imagine, they take some time.

      Reply

  • Shelly Resendes
    December 5, 2020

    Hello beautiful Natasha. This receipt looks simple and delicious 😋 to make. Can’t wait to make this cake 🍰
    Can I used regular milk, like half and half milk?
    Love all your amazing receipts. Thanks for sharing with me. Much appreciated. You rock hun! Keep up the great work! Much love ❤️ and blessings 🙏 to you and your beautiful family. Stay well and safe! ❤️🙏🤗

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 6, 2020

      Hello Shelly, you can also make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use.

      Reply

  • Susan
    December 5, 2020

    where can I purchase the mixing bowl set and the green spatula that you use in the cranberry buddy cake video?

    Reply

  • Cheryl B
    December 5, 2020

    A couple quick questions…
    1. If the cake is not going to be served right away, is it still okay to decorate it right away with the sugared cranberries or will they affect the cake…make it mushy from moisture?

    2. Is it best to store the cake at room temp or in the frig?

    Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 8, 2020

      Hi Cheryl, I keep the cake stored in the refrigerator. The cranberries can get a little soft if covered in the refrigerator for too long. I would decorate with sugared cranberries the same day it’s being served.

      Reply

      • Cheryl B
        December 9, 2020

        Thank you for that information, Natasha.
        This cake and the sugared cranberries are just delicious!!! Thanks for another great (and this time festive) recipe! <3

        Reply

  • Winnie
    December 4, 2020

    I love your recipe. I can’t wait to make one. If I don’t have buttermilk, can I use regular milk instead? Thank you so much.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 6, 2020

      Hi Winnie, you can also make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use.

      Reply

      • susan dowd
        December 7, 2020

        Can’t wait to make this cake! Because I live 20 mi from town I bought dried buttermilk. I haven’t used it yet but wanted to share the idea. It’s from THE SACO PANTRY it’s called Cultured Buttermilk Blend. Ingredients: a cultured blend of sweet cream churned buttermilk, sweet dairy whey & lactic acid.
        What do you think of this Natasha? Thank you, Susan

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          December 7, 2020

          Hi Susan, without testing that it is hard to say but I’d love to know how it works out if you test this!

          Reply

  • Ankita
    December 4, 2020

    Hey i am watching ur recipes since long and love the way how easily you bake everything… u are just a rocking baker and a rocking mum….i am looking forward to bake this recipe but i just want to know can the egg be replaced as i don eat..plz reply

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 5, 2020

      Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying our recipes! I have not tried this with an egg substitute to advise. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that.

      Reply

  • Naheed
    December 4, 2020

    Love all your recipes. Can I make this in loaf pan instead.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 4, 2020

      Hi Naheed, I imagine that would work! If you test it out, I would love to know how you like it.

      Reply

  • Erin
    December 4, 2020

    What a beautiful cake that tastes great. So yummy for the holidays!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 4, 2020

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

      • Nyree
        December 5, 2020

        Hi Natasha. Thank you for your fabulous recipes. Can I use vegetable oil?

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          December 6, 2020

          I use canola oil or light olive oil but I imagine vegetable oil will work too

          Reply

  • Betsy
    December 4, 2020

    I LOVE the fresh cranberries in here! I love the texture and flavor…so different from dried cranberries! Delicious cake, too. Yum!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 4, 2020

      And it looks great too! Seriously so good! I can’t wait to make it again!

      Reply

  • Beth
    December 4, 2020

    Oh my goodness this looks delicious and yummy! My family is going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to make this with my daughter!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 4, 2020

      I hope you love this recipe, Beth! Thank you for that wonderful review!

      Reply

  • janet
    December 4, 2020

    Do you think I could add some white chocolate chips How many? Thank you very much!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 4, 2020

      Hi Janet, I haven’t tested this with white chocolate chips so you will have to experiment. Let me know how it turns out.

      Reply

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