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    Home » Recipes » Cakes + Cupcakes

    Cranberry Orange Cake

    Published: Dec 6, 2019 by Modern Honey · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

    3777 shares
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    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. www.modernhoney.com #cranberry #cranberrycake #cranberryorange #cranberryorangecake

    Cranberry Orange Cake

    A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. 

    I am just going to start off with this -- THIS CAKE IS INSANELY AMAZING. Okay I said it. It is ridiculously moist with a burst of fresh orange flavor and tangy tart cranberries. Then the cream cheese orange zest frosting puts it over the top. This is the perfect holiday cake to highlight fresh cranberries that are in season right now.

    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. www.modernhoney.com #cranberry #cranberrycake #cranberryorange #cranberryorangecake

    We live by groves and groves of orange trees. This is the time of year where fresh oranges are in abundance and we have dear friends who let us picks fresh oranges and lemons from their trees every year. I love using fruits when they are in season because they are at their peak ripeness. Both oranges and cranberries are in season in December and this cake highlights them perfectly.

    I absolutely love baking homemade cakes because they taste so much better than boxed cake mixes. I only put my very favorite cake recipes on Modern Honey and my Mom has declared this her new favorite MH recipe. If you have tried my ORANGE CAKE RECIPE before, you will fall in love with this Fresh Cranberry and Orange Cake.

    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. www.modernhoney.com #cranberry #cranberrycake #cranberryorange #cranberryorangecake

    So what makes this Cranberry Orange Cake so special? It all starts off with making it extra moist. This is accomplished by using a mix of oil, eggs, orange juice, and sour cream.  Each of them plays an integral role to not only make it moist on the first day...but even after five days.

    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. www.modernhoney.com #cranberry #cranberrycake #cranberryorange #cranberryorangecake

    This Orange Cranberry Cake uses both orange juice and orange zest. The orange zest is where so much of the vibrant orange flavor comes from. One of my favorite gadgets is a zester. You can grab one here for about $13. I like to use freshly squeezed orange juice but you can use any orange juice from the grocery store as well.

    I use fresh cranberries when they are in season to make this cake. Cut the cranberries in half and toss in flour to ensure the cranberries don't sink to the bottom of the cake.

    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. www.modernhoney.com #cranberry #cranberrycake #cranberryorange #cranberryorangecake

    TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST CRANBERRY ORANGE CAKE:

    • Start with the dry ingredients. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. The two leavening agents – baking soda and baking powder – give the cake a perfect rise. Keep in mind that homemade cake recipes don't dome in the center like boxed caked mixes do. This cranberry cake recipe stays pretty even.
    • Adding Oil makes the orange cranberry cake extra moist. You can use your favorite type of oil, as long as it is fresh. I tend to reach for canola oil in most of my cakes.
    • Use Orange Juice and Fresh Orange Zest to impart orange flavor into the cake. This gives it an all-natural orange flavor. A zesteris an essential tool in the kitchen to ensure you only get the orange peel, instead of the bitter white rind.
    • Sour Cream helps to create a perfect texture. By using sour cream or buttermilk, it creates a moist and tender crumb. I use full-fat sour cream in all of my cakes.

    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. www.modernhoney.com #cranberry #cranberrycake #cranberryorange #cranberryorangecake

    • Use Fresh Cranberries, if available. Cut the cranberries in half and toss in flour to ensure the cranberries don't sink to the bottom of the cake.
    • Bake just until a toothpick comes out clean in the center of the cake. If you want the cake to be extra moist, you may brush the layers with a simple syrup, which is a water and sugar syrup mix.
    • Once the cakes are cool, frost with homemade orange cream cheese frosting. The frosting is made by whipping butter and cream cheese for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest.

    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. www.modernhoney.com #cranberry #cranberrycake #cranberryorange #cranberryorangecake

    More favorite Modern Honey cake recipes:

    • Key Lime Cake
    • Orange Cake
      Vanilla Cake
    • LEMON Olive Oil Cake
    • VANILLA Cupcakes
    • YELLOW Cake with Chocolate Frosting
    • Love at First Sight CHOCOLATE Cake 
    • Chocolate RASPBERRY Cake 
    • COCONUT Cake 
    • RED VELVET Cake
    • Jeff's Best BANANA Cake 
    • Southern CARAMEL Cake 
    • BERRY Chantilly Cream Cake 

    My favorite cake baking essentials:

    USA 8-inch cake pans
    USA 9-inch cake pans
    Icing Angled Spatula

    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. www.modernhoney.com #cranberry #cranberrycake #cranberryorange #cranberryorangecake

    Cranberry Orange Cake

    Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com
    Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake. 
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 22 mins
    Total Time 37 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16

    Ingredients
      

    Cranberry Orange Cake:

    • 2 ½ cups Flour
    • 1 ¾ cups Sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ¾ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 cup Oil (such as canola oil)
    • 1 cup Fresh Orange Juice
    • 3 large Eggs
    • 1 cup Sour Cream (preferably full-fat)
    • 1-2 teaspoons Orange Zest
    • 1 ½ cups Fresh Cranberries (cut in half)

    Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • 1 cup Butter (softened)
    • (1) 8-ounce pkg. Cream Cheese (softened)
    • 4 cups Powdered Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Orange Zest
    • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
    • In another mixing bowl, cream oil, orange juice, eggs, sour cream, and orange zest until completely mixed.
    • Fold in dry ingredients, mixing only until combined. Cut cranberries and toss in a bowl of flour (this helps to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Fold in cranberries. Pour into greased (3) 8-inch or (2) 9-inch cake pans.
    • Bake for 19-22 minutes, depending on the size of pan used. To test if the cakes are done, insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cakes are done. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from pans.

    Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of the bowl halfway through mixing. Stir in powdered sugar, orange zest, and orange juice.
    • Once cakes are cooled, frost with orange cream cheese frosting.
    Keyword cranberry orange cake
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Cakes + Cupcakes

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    • Best Lemon Loaf Bread
    • Chocolate Orange Cake
    • Hummingbird Cake

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tiffany

      December 13, 2019 at 1:29 pm

      Hi there. Would it work to 1 1/2 x the recipe to do three 9 Inch cake pans?

      Thanks

      Reply
    2. Irwin

      December 21, 2019 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was "FANTASTIC"! I have never been disappointed with anything I have made using Melissa's recipes! And I have made a lot of them!

      Reply
    3. Jacqui Rubsam

      January 08, 2020 at 5:32 pm

      5 stars
      One of my favorite things I made in December. Sooooo delicious just like every other recipe.

      Reply
    4. Noreen Engberg

      April 22, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      Can I use frozen cranberries? or do I need to let them thaw?

      Reply
    5. Mirela Dulinsky

      November 25, 2020 at 2:55 pm

      I did this cake today and i respected exactly the measurements and ingredients were fresh and everything but after 25 minutes in the oven the cakes were still wet in the middle,like undone or so,...I left them an additional 5 minutes and still was undone but the edges started to brown too much regarding the fact I had to leave them longer because the middle wasn’t completely cooked!!! Any opinions why thi happened!?!

      Reply
      • Sheila

        December 30, 2020 at 3:22 pm

        The same thing happened to me.I used 2 9 inch pans,so I knew it would take longer,but I think my total was 42 minutes.Upon first glance,it did look like a very high wet to dry ratio. I still have them cooling,my tester finally came out clean,but it was no 22 minutes.

        Reply
        • Addie

          January 02, 2021 at 3:29 pm

          This cake is the bomb. I had the same experience with the cake in the 9 in cake pan. Left in over for a total of 10 more mins checking every 5. Interestingly the published cook time was perfect for cupcakes though. I’m definitely making this again.

          Reply
    6. Katherine

      November 27, 2020 at 2:42 pm

      5 stars
      My family and I loved this cake! I used half a cup orange juice, 1/2 cup grand marnier in the cake. I also didn't have sour cream on hand and used a block a cream cheese with 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tbs of half and half (beaten separately and then incorporated into the wet ingredients.

      Reply
    7. Donna

      November 27, 2021 at 4:47 pm

      5 stars
      This is my 2nd year in a row making this delicious cake. It was such a big hit last year so I made it again this year.
      At least we could have company this year for dinner. This was one of my Thanksgiving Desserts. A must try,

      Reply
      • Patty

        November 20, 2022 at 1:43 pm

        5 stars
        Turned out great! Made a 6" two tier with an extra 1 layer for later. That butter cream is delicious.
        Thank you!

        Reply
    8. Marie

      December 24, 2021 at 1:01 pm

      5 stars
      Just finished making this for Christmas Day dinner. Based on the crumbs in the cake pans and licking frosting off the spatula, this is absolutely delicious! Looks pretty too. Can't wait to eat a whole piece tomorrow!

      Reply
    9. Sal

      March 16, 2022 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      The adddition of sour cream makes this cake so moist!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

      Reply
    10. Paul

      March 17, 2022 at 11:20 am

      5 stars
      Totally agree!!

      Reply
    11. Tracy Record

      December 01, 2022 at 10:04 am

      Can I use dried cranberries?

      Reply

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    Melissa Stadler Modern Honey

    Hi, I'm Melissa Stadler! I am an Award-Winning Recipe Creator. Cover of Food Network Magazine. Two-Time Pillsbury Bake-Off Finalist. I am passionate about sharing the best recipes so you have success in the kitchen!

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