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Cranberry Christmas Cake

This festive cake features tart cranberries against a soft vanilla crumb, topped with a sparkling sugar finish. It's easy to prepare and perfect for the holiday season.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 0.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 0.5 teaspoons fine salt
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and dried
  • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for topping, optional

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Heat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round or square pan. Line with parchment for easy lifting.
  2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
  4. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined.
  5. Fold in cranberries. Spread the thick batter in your pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
Baking
  1. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
  2. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Wrap leftover cake and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, slice and wrap pieces individually and thaw on the counter before warming in the oven at 300°F for 8-10 minutes. This cake tastes even better the next day as flavors settle.