Cranberry Coffee Cake

At a glance

What stands out: From-scratch cranberry coffee cake will fill your home with scents of the holidays and is reliable for brunch. You can have this coffee cake in the oven in 15 minutes or less. The recipe is versatile; you can use other fruits or spices.

How long it takes: less than hour total
Equipment you’ll need: 9 x 13 inch baking dish or pan, electric mixer, mixing bowl
Servings: 15

Warm Cranberry Coffee Cake

Can you imagine anything much better than the warm scent of cranberries, oranges and cardamom wafting through your house? Forget the scented candles or potpourri! You can’t eat those. Indulge yourself with a slice of from-scratch coffee cake instead.

The first time we baked this cranberry cake, we sent out a group text inviting our neighbors to swing by for a piece of coffee cake. We're so glad we did! Cake brings people together and that’s a good thing, right? There are way too many things going on in our world that cause dissension and strife. Why not spread a little love and good cheer by sharing a warm coffee cake with freinds?

From-scratch Cranberry Coffee Cake

Basic coffee cake recipe. We love this basic coffee cake recipe because it’s evenly sweet, evenly moist, and so straightforward to mix. You can use the same recipe to make a variety of coffee cakes by adding different fruits. Our mom often made this coffee cake with blueberries. We're guessing the recipe may have come from her trusty red Betty Crocker cookbook. We love to create new takes on it; this peach coffee cake is one of our faves.

Straightforward to mix. This is a one bowl recipewhich means a straightforward clean-up! You’ll need an electric hand mixer to make it. It makes a large cake (9 x 13 inches) so there’s plenty to share.

“Cheater” streusel. We like to sprinkle the batter with a coarse sugar (turbinado) which retains just a bit of crunchy sweetness when the cake has baked. It’s easier than making streusel. Feel free to make real streusel for a topping or merely sprinkle the baked cake with confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar). Another option is to drizzle it with a powder sugar icing. Simply blend together powdered sugar and milk or water to make the drizzle.

Make It Your Own

• Add a streusel topping. The streusel for whole wheat banana muffins with streusel works evenly on this coffee cake. You may want to try this coffee cake recipe with streusel. It has a layer of streusel inside the cake and another layer on top. So good!
• Use different fruit. Substitute blueberries, raspberries, or cherries for the cranberries, if you want.

Keeping leftovers

Once the coffee cake is completely cool, cover it with foil or plastic wrap. It will keep at room temperature for 3 days. If you want to store it longer than that, refrigerate it for up to a week.

Coffee cake can be frozen for two to three months. Wrap it well in foil or place in a freezer safe container.

• Yield: 15
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 40 minutes
• Total: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup orange juice (zest the orange first)
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon orange zest (from 1 orange)
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or ground cinnamon, if you prefer)
• 1 ½ cups cranberries, frozen or fresh
• 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 × 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to mix together softened butter, orange juice, milk and egg.
3. Next, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, orange zest, and cardamom to the bowl. Beat on low for 20 to 30 seconds until combined and then increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
4. Pour half of batter into prepared pan and spread to evenly cover bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup cranberries. Spread remaining batter over cranberries. It may look like there isn't enough batter but don’t worry, the cake will rise and it will end up perfect! Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cranberries on top.
5. If desired, top the batter with turbinado sugar (see note).
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
7. Let cool slightly before cutting and serving. May be served warm, room temperature, or cold.

Notes

Topping ideas: If you don’t have turbinado sugar, you can omit it or use regular granulated sugar instead. The cake is great with a streusel topping, too.

Fruit alternatives: Try this cake with blueberries, raspberries, or cherries instead of cranberries.

Storage: When completely cool, cover the coffee cake and store for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.