Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cake (Printer version)

Tender cake with bright orange zest and tart cranberries for a perfect morning treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup whole milk
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Flavorings & Mix-ins

09 - Zest of 1 large orange
10 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

→ For Serving

11 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, cream softened butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Add milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth and fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender crumb structure.
06 - Fold in orange zest and chopped cranberries gently with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout batter.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with minimal crumbs.
09 - Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than your coffee brews, with no fussy steps or special equipment needed.
  • The tart cranberries cut through the sweetness in a way that feels refreshing instead of cloying, so you can eat it without feeling weighed down.
  • It keeps beautifully for days and actually tastes better on day two when the orange flavor blooms even more.
02 -
  • If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them first or they'll bleed too much color and turn the batter pink and streaky.
  • Check your oven temperature with a thermometer because mine runs hot and I burned the top twice before I figured it out.
  • The batter will seem thick and almost too dense, but that's exactly right, thin batter makes a flat, sad cake.
03 -
  • Zest your orange before you juice it for another use, because trying to zest a juiced orange is nearly impossible and frustrating.
  • If your cranberries are especially tart, toss them in a tablespoon of sugar before folding them in to take the edge off without adding more sweetness to the batter.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice the cake cleanly without tearing the tender crumb, and wipe the blade between cuts for the neatest pieces.
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