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Delicious Orange Cranberry Cake Recipe

By: Author Judy Kahansky

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This Orange Cranberry Cake Recipe is so yummy – perfect for Brunch or a Potluck! The fresh orange juice and zest give it a light fragrant taste, and the dried cranberries add just the right amount of tartness.  The cake is moist and soft, but also has a dense texture like a pound cake.

Bundt cakes are always so generous and this one is no exception!  You can easily serve 8 people with this amazing cake.

This recipe is often called Orange Cranberry Pound Cake and it’s one of my Grandma’s old fashioned cake recipes.  I think today the term ‘vintage’ is used, but to me it’s old fashioned goodness.  🙂

This post was originally published January 30, 2017 and updated December 28, 2020.

You will need: flour, sugar, dried cranberries, fresh oranges, eggs, sour milk, baking powder, salt, baking soda, powdered sugar, unsalted butter, heavy cream.

ORANGE CRANBERRY CAKE RECIPE

This orange cranberry bundt cake recipe comes right out of the family vault circa 1960.

 I’ve recently discovered an old ledger that was in storage and inside are the most amazing recipes, most handwritten by my beloved Grandma, and also lots of magazine and newspaper clippings.  I’m having so much fun going through them.

orange cranberry cake 2 images one of whole cake with slice removed, one of slice of cake on blue plate with fork
orange cranberry bundt cake covered with orange glaze, orange zest, three oranges in the background, blue plates and two forks and cake server

This Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake Recipe jumped right off the page, so I decided to give it a whirl.

I’m making this cake on a very cold winter day, but it’s so light and delicious you could serve any old time at all.

The flavours that come out of this Cranberry Orange Cake are just amazing.  Fresh orange, tangy cranberry and the cake has this rich, moist almost pound cake like texture.

orange cranberry pound cake on a blue plate with slices removed cake has thick orange cranberry glaze with two oranges in the background on a weathered white wooden table

TIPS TO MAKE A PERFECT ORANGE CRANBERRY CAKE

  • Choose fresh sweet oranges and make lots of zest
  • You can use either fresh or dried cranberries depending upon where you live
  • Please follow the instructions exactly
  • This time and temperature are perfect for my oven, but always choose the lowest temperature stated
  • Let the cake cool completely before adding that sweet orange cranberry glaze!

YOU MAY NEED….

I’m baking more cakes and other delectable desserts these days, since my hubby gave me a ✅ Kitchen Aid Pro Mixer for Christmas!  Boy oh boy, I don’t know how I managed before.  I keep my Kitchen Aid Pro Mixer on a cart, and just wheel it over to the counter whenever I want to use it.  Cool huh?

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE….

Love Old Fashioned Recipes like this one?  Our Old Fashioned Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake is what you’re looking for! These are some of Grandma’s favourites too – just click the image to see the recipe!

Want more of my Grandma’s Old Fashioned Recipes?  You can with a copy of my FREE ebook here. Just click the image!

cookbook easy family recipes grandma approved cover

ORANGE CRANBERRY BUNDT CAKE RECIPE

This bundt cake is so rich and dreamy, you will get asked for seconds.  And why not, with such a generous cake!  I wonder if it would make amazing muffins too?  I might try that the next time.  Your biggest decision will be whether or not to dress your bundt cake with the Orange Cranberry Glaze or dust with powdered sugar.   

I went with the Orange Cranberry Glaze and sprinkled lots of Orange Zest on top.  You can enjoy this tonight with a cup of herb tea, and there will be lots to package up for some gifts for the kids.

If you like this recipe, please give it a 5 star rating.

Enjoy, xo

Judy

orange cranberry bundt cake with thick orange cranberry glaze orange zest on top blue plates and silver forks in right background three oranges in left background on white weathered wood table

Delicious Orange Cranberry Cake Recipe

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

We love this vintage Orange Cranberry Cake. Cranberry Cake Recipes are perfect anytime and when combined with sweet orange flavour this cake is a winner.  

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs , separated
  • 1/2 cup milk*, sour see note below
  • 1 orange, large
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda, dissolved in 1 tsp hot water

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp cream, heavy - 35% milk fat
  • 1 tbsp orange juice, fresh
  • 1 tsp orange zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C
  2. Squeeze the orange and add all of the juice to the sour milk and set aside
  3. Put the cranberries and leftover orange (remove large bits of pith) and grind fairly fine in your food processor. Set this aside as it will be added to the cake batter at the end.
  4. Cream butter, sugar and egg yolks together
  5. Add the sour milk mixture
  6. Stir in the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
  7. The batter will be quite dense at this point.
  8. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff
  9. Fold in the orange/cranberry mixture into the batter
  10. Add the beaten egg whites
  11. Pour the batter into the greased bundt pan
  12. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
  13. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
  14. Invert the cake onto a plate and then invert again so that it is top side up.
  15. While the cake is baking mix up the glaze to have it ready to pour on the cake once it has cooled for about 10 - 15 minutes. The cake will still be warm enough for the glaze to nicely melt into the cracks and crevices on top.

Notes

Note: To make 1 cup (250 mL) sour milk for baking, use 1 tbsp (15 mL) vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to equal 1 cup (250 mL). Stir and let stand for 5 minutes before using. This will give the right amount of acidity for the recipe.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 488Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 289mgCarbohydrates: 85gFiber: 2gSugar: 55gProtein: 7g

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© Judy
Cuisine: North American / Category: Dessert

If you enjoyed this orange cranberry bundt cake recipe, be sure to check out my Chocolate Mayan Bundt Cake!  It’s one of the most popular posts on the blog!

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Judy Kahansky is an experienced baker and writer. She loves to take classic and vintage recipes and update them to fit the busy lives of her readers. When not baking, Judy and her husband Mark are passionate golfers, travelers and dog lovers, spending as much time as they can with their sweet pup Millie.

Janet McCoy

Friday 15th of May 2020

Hi can i use salted butter and just leave out the salt?

Judy Kahansky

Wednesday 3rd of June 2020

Hi Janet, I often do that. Thanks!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com

Sunday 5th of February 2017

Judy, orange and cranberry is a classic combination that I love. I'd like to have a big piece of this for breakfast!

PS The commentluv wasn't working, so here's the link: http://www.delightfulrepast.com/2017/02/cabbage-and-kale-salad-with-creamy.html (Cabbage and Kale Salad with Creamy Sesame Seed Dressing)

Judy

Sunday 5th of February 2017

Thanks so much Jean and for letting me know about commentluv.

Karly

Tuesday 31st of January 2017

LOVE these bright and cheery flavors! Such a fun and yummy cake for breakfast, a coffee break or dessert. Definitely need to try this one!

Judy

Tuesday 31st of January 2017

Thanks Karly! It's pretty yummy especially when slightly warmed.

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