Description
This Cranberry Cake features a moist, fluffy texture packed with fresh cranberries and topped with a warm, luscious vanilla butter sauce. Perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy desserts, this cake balances tart berries with rich buttery sweetness in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 4 cups fresh cranberries (or up to 5 cups for more tartness)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, softened)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 12-oz can evaporated milk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
Vanilla Butter Sauce
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare cranberries: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Rinse 4 cups of fresh cranberries in a colander and set aside to dry. For a tarter, fruitier cake, feel free to use up to 5 cups.
- Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and 2 cups of sugar together until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Add the evaporated milk and mix to combine thoroughly.
- Mix dry ingredients and fold in berries: Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add these dry ingredients to the mixer and beat until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Gently fold in the cranberries with a wooden spoon.
- Prepare bundt pan: Spray a 10-12 cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly flour the inside by sprinkling 2 teaspoons of flour over it and shaking to coat evenly. Discard any excess flour to ensure easy removal of the cake.
- Bake the cake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350° F for 40–50 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. My cake took closer to 50 minutes.
- Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Setting a timer helps to remember this resting period.
- Invert the cake: Carefully invert the cake onto a plate or cake stand for serving.
- Make the warm vanilla butter sauce: In a small saucepan, melt 1 cup of butter over medium heat. Stir in 2 cups sugar and 1 cup cream, heating until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat, let it rest for a minute, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Serve: Drizzle the warm vanilla butter sauce over each slice of the cake, or lightly over the entire cake. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor experience.
Notes
- For extra cranberry flavor, increase the cranberries up to 5 cups.
- Make sure the cranberries are dry before adding to batter to avoid excess moisture.
- The cake is best served warm with the vanilla butter sauce but also delicious at room temperature.
- Use a light hand when folding in cranberries to prevent breaking the berries and turning the batter red.
- Do not let the sauce boil to avoid curdling or burning.
