Cranberry Christmas Cake has only a handful of ingredients and comes together in a snap! A moist butter cake bursting with flavor is speckled with tart sweet cranberries. It is truly the most perfect holiday cake. This simple recipe will be on your dessert table again and again!
I made this cake for Christmas last year and my nieces literally picked the pan clean. It is sooo good.
All of my social media networks have been flooded with fall flavors and I tell you cranberries have been screaming at me. After seeing this cranberry cake on my friend Mary's blog and Taste of Home I had finally had enough. I had to try it!
I was so excited, at long last Munchkin and I stepped into the kitchen to make this cake. Just a few ingredients and it came together so fast. Cranberry and almond flavors are bursting out of this moist simple buttery cake that will whisk you away to a winter wonderland.
As I took my first bite I knew this was THE cake of the season. Perfectly flavored and a crowd pleaser. Even my picky family loved everything about this cake and I am sure you will too.
With love from our kitchen table to yours! XO
RECIPE AT BOTTOM
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Cranberry Almond Christmas Cake Recipe
SERVES 18 | ACTIVE TIME 10 Min | TOTAL TIME 50 Min
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries (or frozen and thawed)
1 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 baking pan. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs for 5 minutes with an electric mixer on medium. The volume of the mixture will increase by almost half and will be thickened. Do not skip this step. The eggs will work as the leavening the cake needs to rise.
Add butter and extracts and beat for 2 more minutes. Slowly add flour and beat until combined. Fold in cranberries.
Using a spatula, pour and smooth into prepared pan. Sprinkle almonds over top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting.
Serve and enjoy!
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SERVES 18 | ACTIVE TIME 10 Min | TOTAL TIME 50 Min
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries (or frozen and thawed)
1 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 baking pan. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs for 5 minutes with an electric mixer on medium. The volume of the mixture will increase by almost half and will be thickened. Do not skip this step. The eggs will work as the leavening the cake needs to rise.
Add butter and extracts and beat for 2 more minutes. Slowly add flour and beat until combined. Fold in cranberries.
Using a spatula, pour and smooth into prepared pan. Sprinkle almonds over top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting.
Serve and enjoy!
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Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2013 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.
Originally published 11/21/13
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home and Barefeet in the Kitchen.
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same
and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small
commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new
recipes.
Beautiful and so simple. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLinda @ Tumbleweed Contessa
What a beautiful cake. Can't wait to make this. I love almond cakes, and am always looking for new recipes to try.
ReplyDeleteSuch a perfect looking dessert for the holidays. Thanks so much for a great recipe.
ReplyDeleteThis looks really good.... think I might add white chocolate chips to it
ReplyDeleteThis sounds yummy, think I might add white chocolate chips to it for a added sweetness...
ReplyDeleteI love cranberries and almonds! Your recipe sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I love this almond twist on the recipe, Donna. It sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteall purpose flour and no salt or baking powder??
ReplyDeleteThat is correct the eggs work at the leavening, make sure to beat them for the full time. Enjoy!
DeleteLove this cake! Have made this a Christmas breakfast tradition for 3 years. I was wondering could it be made ahead of time and frozen?
Deleteim making this today. the cake itself is sweet enough you dont need icing or frosting?
ReplyDeleteim making this cake today but its sweet enough alone to not use icing or anything???
ReplyDeleteThe cake is perfectly sweet without any icing. Happy Thanksgiving and let us know how it goes.
DeleteI loved this cake. The name itself sounds so interesting and yummy. And also it seems bit easy to prepare. Thank you for the share,
ReplyDeleteEggs as a leavening.... I have to try
ReplyDeleteEggs as a leavening? Sounds great! Thx
ReplyDeleteI made this yesterday for dinner guests...it was wonderful, everybody loved it. I ate it for breakfast this morning, it is great with coffee. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteNot only beautiful, but full of deliciousness with the cranberries and almonds! Pinning!
ReplyDeleteDo you use the uncooked cranberries that come in the bag? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes, that is correct. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
DeleteThis is one of my favorite of Mary's recipes, and I think the addition of almond is inspired Donna!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone thought of adding almond paste?
ReplyDeletethink it may become too sticky.
DeleteThis recipe alone is worth the price of subscription! What? You say subscribing was free? Its still one of the most popular things I've made. My cranberries came in a 2lb bag, so doing the math- lets see, 32oz, minus 4 cups, add ounces based on distance from earth's rotational axis, stop for coffee... My maths suck, but I ended up using 4 cups of cranberries, which may or may not be a LOT. But I also added a dash on cinnamon and it comes out perfect every time.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Slow Roasted Italian, I think I love you.
Can craisins be substutied for cranberries?? If so, how much?? Thanks for a great web site.
ReplyDeleteI must say I was a little skeptical of making this cake without any soda, baking soda or salt. It turned out very good. Easy recipe and everyone enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI could not find Cranberries, so I used Frozen Tart Cherries. AMAZING. I will try it again with the Cranberries. We loved this cake.
ReplyDeleteThis cake is amazing! Sweet with just the right amount of tartness
ReplyDeleteI come from a family of bakers, so I have more than a few excellent recipes. But this cake comes in near the top. It's a fantastic combination of favors with a very nice texture. It's definitely a keeper!
ReplyDeleteWhat size pan do I use? Would a bunt pan work?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about a Bundt pan also. May gavebto adjust baking time, but I think I will try it. Let us know ifvyouvtried it !
DeleteI don't think it would be very tall unless you made double batch.
DeleteI am thinking about adding a powder sugar glaze to the cake. Do you think it would be ok?
ReplyDeletemade this last night. mine looks just like your picture and is delicious! (i did double my batch, and doubled the almond extract.)
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean...double batch of what. ..I want to make this IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
Deletemade enough for 2 cakes in one pan. or 2 pans.
DeleteI like this cake.
ReplyDeleteSo cute ,delicious
Thanks for sharing with us
What size pan?? 9x13?
ReplyDeleteyup, 9x13. Says so in instructions. Made for a church dinner today. Yum :-)
ReplyDelete"Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 baking pan. Set aside."
Have you tried making the cranberry cake in a bundt pan? I am wondering if there's enough batter in the recipe.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to bake and then freeze for about a week?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone made this cake ahead of time, and then frozen it for later?
ReplyDeleteI made this sans the almonds this christmas and I think it would freeze fine
DeleteI made the cake, and then froze some of the leftover pieces for a later time. I recently took a small package out of the freezer, and they were just as tasty as when I first baked it.
DeleteSurely you don't use 4 CUPS of butter? 8 sticks??
ReplyDeleteI made this cake and accidentally creamed the sugar, butter and eggs altogether for five minutes, realized I did it wrong after adding the cranberries and baked it anyway. Since I haven't made it the correct way, I do not know what the original texture should be like. But it was the moistest, most delicious cake I've eaten.the cranberries were perfectly tart but not overpowering as i worried they'd be, tasted fabulous with the almond and sweetness of the cake, and it was moist for days!! Total crowd pleaser! I'll make it correctly just to see if there is a difference, but I'd be hard pressed to not want to repeat my mistake since the end result was fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI made this cake and accidentally creamed the sugar, butter and eggs altogether for five minutes, realized I did it wrong after adding the cranberries and baked it anyway. Since I haven't made it the correct way, I do not know what the original texture should be like. But it was the moistest, most delicious cake I've eaten.the cranberries were perfectly tart but not overpowering as i worried they'd be, tasted fabulous with the almond and sweetness of the cake, and it was moist for days!! Total crowd pleaser! I'll make it correctly just to see if there is a difference, but I'd be hard pressed to not want to repeat my mistake since the end result was fabulous!
ReplyDeleteOk, so I made this cake on Christmas Day this year and didn't read the instructions. I got into baking robot mode adding the butter and sugar and started my mixer - OOPS! I didn't want to waste it, so I kept on adding the ingredients PLUS 1 tsp of baking powder. Even though I "messed up" it turned out AMAZING! So don't fret if you accidently mix the sugar with the butter. Baking powder worked just fine. Though, I will be making this the correct way, as we all really enjoyed this cake.
ReplyDeleteI made this cake to be included on my Christmas cookie platter. It is extraordinarily delicious. What a flavor, I could have eaten the whole cake by myself.
ReplyDeleteWe are so happy you enjoyed it!!!
DeleteI made this cake and everybody loved it. The sweetens of the sugar and the tartness of the cranberries, it was amazing. I bought extra cranberries and frozen, so I can make it during the year.
ReplyDeleteWe are so happy you enjoyed it!!
DeleteI will have this on Christmas this year!
ReplyDeleteThat's great, Amalia!!! Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
Delete