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Glazed Cranberry Lemon Cake

Balanced, flavorful, and enjoyable—this recipe has it all.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 12 Servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Cake:
  • ¾ ¾ cup salted butter room temperature
  • ⅓ ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 3 cups fresh cranberries
  • 2 ½ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • zest of 2 lemons about 2 tablespoons
  • 2 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ½ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 3 large eggs
  • ¾ ¾ cup buttermilk
Glaze:
  • 1 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 10- or 12-inch bundt cake pan with butter - making sure to grease all the nooks and crannies really well.
  2. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom of the pan, then layer the cranberries evenly over the sugar.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  4. In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the granulated sugar together with the zest from the lemons. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar is infused with the lemon fragrance.
  5. Add the butter to the bowl with the lemon sugar and, using the paddle or whisk attachment on the stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  6. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk with the 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
  7. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and a few dry streaks remain. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk/lemon mixture. Mix again until just combined.
  8. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, followed by the remaining 1/2 buttermilk/lemon juice mixture. Mix. Add the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
  9. Spread the batter carefully into the prepared pan over the cranberries.
  10. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until lightly golden on top and just set.
  11. Transfer the bundt pan to a wire rack and let cool about 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter, tapping lightly so the cake falls out. Let the cake cool completely.
  12. For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar with the 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Add additional lemon juice or milk for a thinner consistency, if needed.
  13. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and let set, 5-10 minutes, before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Cranberries: I've only ever made this cake using fresh cranberries but I suspect frozen would work well, too.
  • Lemons: you'll need 2-3 lemons for this recipe - make sure to zest the lemons before juicing them!
  • Don't Overmix: as always, don't overmix that batter! Follow the instructions and mix each addition of liquid/dry ingredients until just incorporated.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Serving Calories 395kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 65g (22%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Cholesterol 73mg (24%) Sodium 415mg (17%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 43g (86%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 Serving
Calories 395kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 65g 22%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Sodium 415mg 17%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 43g 86%

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