Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cake (Printable Version)

Tender cake with vibrant orange zest and bursts of tart cranberry for a cozy morning start.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup milk
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Flavorings & Add-ins

09 - Zest of 1 large orange
10 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

→ For Serving

11 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, cream softened butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Add milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Fold in orange zest and chopped cranberries gently with a spatula until evenly distributed.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly.
08 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired. Slice and enjoy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake stays unbelievably moist overnight, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding unexpected guests.
  • Orange zest and tart cranberries do all the flavor work so you're not hunting for extra spices.
  • It's genuinely foolproof—overmixing is hard to achieve and the texture still turns out forgiving.
02 -
  • Chopping the cranberries before they go in prevents hard, chewy whole berries that surprise you mid-bite—this one small step changes everything about texture.
  • Orange zest must be fresh and from the colored part only; if you go too deep into the white pith, you'll get bitter notes that fight with the tartness.
03 -
  • Room temperature butter creams faster and incorporates air more effectively than cold butter, so pull yours out 30 minutes before you start.
  • If you're using frozen cranberries, don't thaw them—bake them straight from frozen so they hold their shape and don't bleed into the batter and turn it purple.
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