This Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake is made with a moist orange-flavored cake batter that is studded with tart cranberries and has a thick layer of cinnamon sugar in the center. For an additional touch of orange flavor, the cake is topped with an orange glaze, dusted with some powdered sugar and finished with sugared cranberries.
One of my favorite flavor combos are cranberries and oranges. I love how the sweetness of the orange balances out the tartness of the cranberries. This combo, paired with the cinnamon sugar layer in the center of the cake and the sweet orange glaze on top makes an amazing dessert. So if you’re a lover of cranberry orange desserts, this bundt cake is for you and will perfectly enhance your holiday table.
I used both the zest and juice of fresh oranges to make a naturally flavored orange cake. The result is a really scrumptious cake that beautifully highlights the natural flavors of oranges and cranberries.
Tools & Equipment
- 25cm/10-inch bundt pan
- Large bowl
- Liquid measuring cup
- Pastry brush
- Silicone spatula
- Small bowl
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
- Whisk
- Wire rack
Recipe Tips
Make Ahead: You can make the cake ahead of time. Let the cake cool completely, cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Before you add the glaze, allow the cake to come to room temperature.
Sour Cream: You can swap the sour cream for the same amount of plain Greek yogurt. The result will be just as delicious.
Orange Juice: Use fresh orange juice, because this cake tastes much better with fresh orange juice compared to store-bought juice. As you need the zest of 2 oranges for this recipe anyway, you can squeeze the oranges and use the juice for the cake and the glaze.
Cranberries: You can use fresh, frozen or dried cranberries for this bundt cake. For decoration, I used freeze-dried cranberries, which I rolled briefly in water first, followed by granulated sugar.
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
Directions – How to Make Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
Make the Cake
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter, 200g light brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest on medium until creamy, for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well blended, for about 2 minutes.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then add whole milk and fresh orange juice and beat on medium until completely incorporated, for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
Stir in the cranberries. The batter will be thick, but silky. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining light brown sugar and cinnamon.
Pour half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top and press down lightly, it will be a thick layer of swirl. Cover evenly with the remaining cake batter.
Bake for 55-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 2 hours. Then invert the bundt cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
Make the Glaze
Whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cake. Garnish with sugared cranberries, powdered sugar and orange zest.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storage: Keep leftover cake in an airtight container or under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze baked unglazed cake in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before glazing and serving.
My Summary for Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
Difficulty: Simple.
Taste & Texture: The cake itself is tender and moist and has a lovely orange flavor. The cranberries add a pleasant tartness, while the cinnamon sugar has a nice sweetness. The perfect finishing touch comes with the powdered sugar, the orange glaze and the sugared cranberries on top.
Time: It takes about 45 minutes to make the cake batter and fill the pan. Baking time is 55-70 minutes. After baking, the cake needs to cool in the pan for about 2 hours and then cool completely on a wire rack.
More Recipes
- Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Bundt Cake
- Hello Dolly Magic Cookie Bars
- Poppy Seed Stollen
- Rum Cake
- Speculoos Cheesecake
- Vanilla Bean Malt Cake
