This gorgeous cranberry bundt cake is a showstopper holiday dessert that requires minimal effort, eliminating the stress of rolling out pie dough or babysitting a cheesecake in the oven. It is a rich and moist cake with a brown sugar caramelized warmth and just a hint of vanilla. Scattered throughout are little ruby red cranberries that add a burst of tartness to the sweet cake.
One of my favorite things about this cake is that it is impressive and feels special without needing any fancy techniques. And you can use frozen cranberries, which means you won’t have to scramble to find them or make a special trip to the store.
The cake itself is a straightforward mix-and-bake situation. No creaming butter for ten minutes, no tempering eggs, no wondering if you’ve folded the batter correctly. You mix, you stir, you pour it into the pan.
If you’ve been avoiding Bundt cakes because you’re convinced they’ll stick to the pan and come out in chunks, I understand. But a good coating of baking spray and flour does the job. And once you master making a bundt cake, you will love how impressive they look with minimal effort.
Below, I’ll walk you through the simple steps, plus all my tips for getting the cake out of the pan perfectly every time. This cake works for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any random Tuesday when you want something that feels festive but doesn’t eat up your afternoon.
Looking for more fabulous holiday dessert ideas? Try my recipes for pumpkin apple cake, cranberry cinnamon roll bake, or cranberry apple crisp.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
This recipe uses the following baking staples: flour, baking powder, salt, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and powdered sugar. You will also need:
- Cranberries: I typically use frozen cranberries, as fresh ones are only available for a short time in the fall. If you have fresh cranberries, they work perfectly too.
- Sour cream
- Orange: You will need the juice and zest of one orange.
How to Make Cranberry Bundt Cake
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray your 10-inch bundt pan thoroughly with non-stick spray, then dust it with flour. Zest and juice your orange.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Using your stand mixer, beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs, vanilla, orange zest, and sour cream until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, starting and ending with flour (three additions of flour, followed by two additions of milk). Mix just until combined after each addition.
- Fold in the thawed and drained cranberries.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for about 60 minutes. The most reliable test for doneness is using a wooden skewer; it should come out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then put it on a cool rack.
- Once the cake is completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and fresh orange juice until smooth and well combined. The glaze should be thick but pourable.
- Drizzle the gorgeous orange glaze over your cooled cake, letting it cascade down the sides. Allow it to set for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Serving Ideas
This gorgeous cranberry bundt cake is one of my favorite holiday desserts. I’ve served it at many family gatherings, and it always gets rave reviews.
It is perfect for a holiday brunch or for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Add some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to make it even more decadent. Add some rosemary sprigs around the base of the serving platter to make it even more Christmas-y.
How to Store
Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, it will last an extra couple of days, but it won’t be as moist if stored at room temperature.
You can freeze this cake by wrapping it completely in plastic wrap, then wrapping it in aluminum foil. If you plan to freeze the cake as a whole, I recommend waiting to apply the glaze until you’re ready to serve it. Freeze for up to 2 months.
When you are ready to serve, unwrap the cake and place it on a serving tray to thaw at room temperature. If you are freezing leftovers, I would slice the whole cake and place the slices into an airtight container to freeze.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Proper bundt pan preparation is crucial! Spray every nook and cranny of your bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray, then dust it with flour. Or use a baking spray that includes flour, like Baker’s Joy.
- I used frozen berries for this recipe. You’ll need to thaw them first and drain any liquid off before using them. You can also use fresh berries for this recipe.
- Wait for the cake to cool for the full 20 minutes. This will help ensure a smooth and full release from the pan.
- The cake should be completely cool before adding the glaze. If the cake is warm, the glaze will melt right into the cake, and you won’t see it. It’ll still taste fantastic, but won’t look as pretty.
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Cranberry Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest from one orange
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups frozen cranberries thawed and drained
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 2 tablespoons orange juice juice from one orange
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over the cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour together with the baking powder and salt. Set aside for just a minute.2 ¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar on high speed until it is thick and smooth.¾ cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest, and sour cream to the bowl and continue beating on medium speed until combined.3 eggs, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, zest, 1 cup sour cream
- Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the bowl and beat until it is mixed in.
- Add 1/2 of the milk and beat on medium speed until mixed in. Continue adding the flour mixture and the milk alternating until all the ingredients have been combined. The batter will be a little thick.1/2 cup milk
- Add the frozen (but thawed and drained) cranberries to the bowl and fold them into the batter.2 cups frozen cranberries
- Transfer the batter to your prepared bundt pan. Bake for 60 minutes. I used a long wooden skewer to check and make sure that no batter was stuck to it when it was inserted.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring it to a serving tray to cool completely.
- Once the cake is completely cool, we’ll make the glaze. In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, and melted butter. The glaze will be thick but pourable.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons orange juice
- Spoon the glaze over the top of the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Let it stand for about 10 minutes to allow the glaze to set. Once it is set, slice and serve immediately.
Notes
- Proper bundt pan preparation is crucial! Spray every nook and cranny of your bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray, then dust it with flour. Or use a baking spray that includes flour, like Baker’s Joy.
- I used frozen berries for this recipe. You’ll need to thaw them first and drain any liquid off before using them. You can also use fresh berries for this recipe.
- Wait for the cake to cool for the full 20 minutes. This will help ensure a smooth and full release from the pan.
- The cake should be completely cool before adding the glaze. If the cake is warm, the glaze will melt right into the cake, and you won’t see it. It’ll still taste fantastic, but won’t look as pretty.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
