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Easy Cranberry Christmas Cake Recipe

I can’t imagine the holidays without this easy Cranberry Christmas Cake! It’s a doubly good dessert or breakfast treat with tangy cranberries and a rich, warm vanilla butter sauce. This cranberry cake is sweet enough to entice a smile out of any grinch. High altitude, gluten-free options and Cranberry Bundt Cake too!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 15 + servings
Calories: 431 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Cranberry Cake (see notes for high altitude adjustments)
  • 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar I used all-natural cane sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 cups whole fresh cranberries or frozen, do not thaw
  • 2 cups milk I used whole milk
  • 6 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon regular vanilla extract or use bourbon vanilla extract
Vanilla Butter Sauce
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup whipping cream not fat free
  • 1 cup sugar I use all natural cane sugar, but you can use white sugar
  • 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake: 
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F (375 for High altitude) and lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan (or 2 8x8 square or round pans). High altitude 375 degrees F.
  2. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add cranberries and stir to coat, then add milk, vanilla and melted butter to dry ingredients, mixing well, batter will be thick. 
  4. For high altitude you may need to add additional 1-2 tablespoons milk, it should still be thick, but all of the ingredients incorporated, don’t overmix. 
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake for 40-50 minutes (for high altitude check at 35 minutes), until the top is golden brown. A toothpick or skewer inserted should come out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool on wire rack. If needed, cover cake with a loose piece of foil the last 10-15 minutes. 
  6. If desired, sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar.
  7. Meanwhile make the butter sauce, In a small heavy-bottomed sauce pan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter, sugar, heavy whipping cream and vanilla. Stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and has a syrup consistency, bring to boil for about 1 minute. Sauce will thicken as it cools, delicious thin or thick. TIP | It should coat the back of a wooden spoon.
  8. Sauce is best served warm, it will thicken as it cools, so if you need it thicker, allow it to cool until desired consistency.

Notes

  • This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to high attitude, but I have a few adjustments for you.
  • Variations
  • zest
  • Vanilla
  • whipped cream
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Serve as is, cooled or even warm from the oven, sprinkle a little sparkling sugar on top.
  • Storage | This cake will keep covered in an airtight container on the counter for about 3 days, in the fridge up to 7 days and frozen up to 3 months.
  • Recipe adapted from Brenda at A Farmgirl's Dabbles
  • Increase all-purpose flour between 2-4 tablespoons, I increased by 2 tablespoons for 5280 above sea level.
  • Reduce granulated sugar to 1 ¾ cups
  • Reduce baking powder to 3 teaspoons
  • Batter should be thick, if too dry then add a little extra whole milk, water or orange juice a tablespoon at a time, do not overmix. I used an extra tablespoon of milk.
  • Increase baking temperature to 375F degrees and start checking for doneness at 30 minutes, covering if needed if browning too quickly.
  • For a gluten-free cranberry cake, replace the flour with your favorite all-purpose GF alternative. You can also use oat or almond flour. It’s just as delicious this way!
  • If you can’t find fresh or frozen cranberries, see below for how to rehydrate dried cranberries.
  • Add 1-2 teaspoons of fresh grated orange zest for a cranberry orange Christmas cake.
  • Instead of the Vanilla Butter Sauce you could also make this browned butter glaze or drizzle this basic vanilla buttercream glaze over the top, or serve with some fresh whipped cream or keep it plain.
  • Try adding ¼ - ½ teaspoon almond extract.
  • Cranberry Bundt Cake | In your favorite 10-cup or larger bundt pan, spray well with a good bakers spray or butter well and then dust with a little flour. You will increase your baking time to about 50 minutes, cake is done when skewer inserted comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
  • Add a dollop of whipped cream and grate a little fresh nutmeg over the top, or try a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For the best texture cool completely, then if desired to serve warm, rewarm in 150-175 degree oven for 20 minutes. If you are drizzling with vanilla sauce, then you might also want to make these simple sugared cranberries, they add such magical sparkle!
  • Add a dollop of whipped cream and grate a little fresh nutmeg over the top, or try a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  • For the best texture cool completely, then if desired to serve warm, rewarm in 150-175 degree oven for 20 minutes.
  • If you are drizzling with vanilla sauce, then you might also want to make these simple sugared cranberries, they add such magical sparkle!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 431kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 71g (24%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 4g Trans Fat 0.4g Cholesterol 41mg (14%) Sodium 369mg (15%) Potassium 119mg (3%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 43g (86%) Vitamin A 515IU (10%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 119mg (12%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 15+ servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 431

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 431kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 71g 24%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 0.4g 20%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 369mg 15%
Potassium 119mg 3%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 43g 86%
Vitamin A 515IU 10%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 119mg 12%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.