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

  • Diane
    November 24, 2021

    Im making this now for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I’m putting on a covered cake platter. Do you suggest that I leave it at room temperature or put in the fridge (I live in Arizona the high today is 75 degrees) and also do I put sugared cranberries on today or tomorrow just before I go out the door?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      November 24, 2021

      Hi Diane, you could leave it at room temperature overnight. I would cover the cake with plastic wrap overnight so it doesn’t dry out. If you are putting the glaze on today, the cranberries will stick better to fresh glaze before it sets and it would be safe to put them on top a day ahead in low humidity and I think Arizona is low humidity.

      Reply

  • Zahra
    November 21, 2021

    Hi Natasha! I wanted to know how far in advance can I bake the Bundt cake for Thanksgiving?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 22, 2021

      Hi Zahra, 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. I haven’t tried making this recipe for more than 2 days ahead of time to advise. You can try my Baklava recipe as you can freeze this for up to 3 months.

      Reply

  • Zahra
    October 30, 2021

    I absolutely love this recipe!! I wanted to try and make it in a smaller Bundt cake pan. Would you be able to tell me what alterations I would have to make to the recipe and temperature?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 1, 2021

      Hi Zahra, please see this section in the recipe post: ‘Can I make this in a smaller bundt pan?’ We talk specifically about the 10 cup Bundt pan. I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • Olga
    October 12, 2021

    I’ve made this cake for Thanksgiving dinner last night. All my guests praised the cake. It was very tasty and moist, truly show stopper and conversation maker. I will definitely bake it for my husband’s Christmas party at work. Thank you Natasha for wonderful recipes !

    Reply

  • Stella
    September 17, 2021

    Can you make a white chocolate raspberry bundt cake or tell me what i ca add to make this a white chocolate cranberry bundt cake?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 18, 2021

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

      Reply

  • Lish
    July 28, 2021

    How did you make your website???

    Reply

  • Katherine
    July 19, 2021

    Hi Natasha can I use dried cranberries for this recipe

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 20, 2021

      Hi Katherine, yes that would work. 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.

      Reply

  • Ramya Pasumarthy
    June 30, 2021

    Hi natasha, how to make buttermilk? Can you please guide.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 30, 2021

      Hi Ramya, you can 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

  • Jessica Vandewalker
    May 21, 2021

    Hi Natasha! I love watching your videos and using your recipes! Can you use unbleached all purpose flour for your cake recipes? Will there be a difference chemically in how they turn out? Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 21, 2021

      Hi Jessica, that may work here. All-purpose works best. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

  • Debbie Fell
    April 1, 2021

    Hello
    I have one 12 oz bag of cranberries i bought last Christmas and froze. I dont have enough for the cake and the candied cranberries. Do you think I can use half of the fresh cranberries and half cran raisins in the cake? Also can you tell me the size of the bundt ,pan you used.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 2, 2021

      Hello Debbie, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise but I think it’s worth experimenting with. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

  • Massiel
    March 20, 2021

    Perfect recipe and easy to make.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 21, 2021

      Thank you!

      Reply

  • malak
    March 2, 2021

    can i omit the cranberies and make like an orange cake but if i want to make as a orange cake i have to add morre of orange zest

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 2, 2021

      Hi Malak, I think that would work although I haven’t personally tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

  • Nancy Ross
    February 14, 2021

    This is a wonderful cake, probably top 3 favs for our family!! Thank you, Natasha!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 14, 2021

      Great to hear that, Nancy. Thank you!

      Reply

  • Shelby
    February 9, 2021

    Made this a couple days ago and really pleased with how it turned out! My husband takes a couple slices to work each morning. I was too impatient to let it cool down in the pan so it stuck a little when it came out, but still tastes delicious. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 9, 2021

      You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Jess pa
    February 6, 2021

    Today is my 2nd time making this! The first one was gone so fast! I substituted the cranberries the 2nd time for blueberries! Turned out great! Thank you Natasha!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 6, 2021

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Nina
    February 5, 2021

    Natasha,thanks for your recipe,today I made this cake for second time,my husband and I love it.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 5, 2021

      That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!

      Reply

  • Elowyn
    January 18, 2021

    Hi Natasha, how should I keep it should I wrap it with tin foil?
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      January 18, 2021

      Hi, you could cover with foil or cover loosely with plastic wrap. If freezing, you would want to wrap in foil.

      Reply

  • Jean
    January 15, 2021

    Hi Natasha, I made your cranberry cake today and had to comment on it. I found this recipe after Christmas and all the grocery stores in my area were out of fresh cranberries and thank goodness I happened to have a bag in the freezer left over from Thanksgiving. Wow! If this cake is this good using frozen I can only imagine how good it is with fresh cranberries!! I just wish I could have made the sugared cranberries. The glaze is delicious as well. Definitely going to be next holiday’s cake, maybe for both Thanksgiving and Christmas! 😜 Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 16, 2021

      Thank you for sharing this wonderful feedback and awesome comment, Jean! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply

  • Malathi Weerasooriya
    January 12, 2021

    I don’t have a Bundt mould. Can I use a normal cake tray?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 12, 2021

      Hi Malathi, that may work. Several of our readers also reported great results using a loaf pan.

      Reply

  • Beatriz Herman
    January 8, 2021

    So easy to make. My 11 year old daughter made it and it turned out delicious. Amazing flavor and moistness. The candied cranberries are delicious, but the cranberries inside the cake just melt in your mouth. We used a rose bundt and it looked beautiful!
    Thanks Natasha. It will be our new family Christmas tradition.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 9, 2021

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Beatriz. Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply

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