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Cranberry Christmas Cake

A delightful holiday cake featuring sweet and tart cranberries with hints of nutmeg and orange zest, perfect for festive gatherings.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Christmas dessert, Cranberry Cake, Easy Cake Recipe, Festive Treat, Holiday Baking
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 250kcal

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour divided
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for cranberries
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
  • 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter cut into tiny cubes
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Zest from 1 large orange

Cranberries and Topping

  • 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar for topping
  • 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon for topping

Instructions

Preparation

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan and set it aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt.
  • Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
  • Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened; be careful not to overmix.
  • In a small bowl, sprinkle the cranberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Gently fold the cranberries into the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
  • In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter.

Baking

  • Place the pan in your preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan before cutting it into squares.

Notes

Serve warm or at room temperature; consider adding whipped cream or enjoying with tea or coffee. For variations, add nuts or a simple glaze.