Cranberry Cream Cheese Swirl Cake
This Cranberry Cream Cheese Swirl Cake perfectly captures the joy of seasonal flavors with its delightful combination of tart cranberries and rich cream cheese, making it a memorable dessert for any occasion.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 250kcal
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups 2 cups all-purpose flour All-purpose flour is recommended, but you can try a gluten-free blend if needed.
- 3/4 cup 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled Ensure your butter is cooled before adding it to the batter.
- 1 large 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. No need to thaw frozen ones beforehand.
For the Cream Cheese Swirl
- 4 ounces 4 ounces cream cheese, softened Make sure it’s at room temperature for easy mixing. You can substitute with mascarpone.
- 1/4 cup 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- In another bowl, mix the milk, melted butter, and egg until fully incorporated.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
- Toss the chopped cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking, then fold them into the batter.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading it evenly.
Making the Swirl
- In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture onto the batter, using a knife to swirl it through gently.
Baking
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cooling
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Ensure that you don’t overmix the batter; a few lumps are fine for a tender cake. You can serve slices of the cake as is or dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant presentation.