This Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake has a rich and moist crumb studded with juicy cranberries and sweet orange. Top with a homemade orange glaze for a beautiful and flavorful cake that is perfect for the holidays.Unlike some dense cakes, this bundt cake is anything but dry.
Thanks to the sour cream and avocado oil, it stays incredibly moist even days after it’s been baked. Looking for more bundt cake recipes? You can also try this Lime Bundt Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake, or this Chocolate Bundt Cake.
Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
Cranberry is one of my favorite holiday flavors because it brings so much brightness to the table. Don’t get me wrong—also give me all of the cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and molasses. But with darker days, more time indoors, sometimes you just need something that feels a bit more like sunshine.
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The tangy and juicy cranberries combined with sweet orange zest are mixed into a sour cream bundt cake base to create the most perfect holiday cake. Top it all off with a drizzle of orange icing and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright flavors! Combining sweet orange and tangy cranberry with buttery cake is a match made in heaven. Despite the richness of the cake, it almost has a lightness to it.
- Great for a large group. I love to make bundt cakes for large groups because one single cake can feed a large group. Plus, they are sturdy, making them great for transporting.
- Make it ahead of time. Dense cakes like this can be made in advance without sacrificing the flavor and texture. Go ahead and bake it a day or even two in advance!
Key Ingredients You Will Need
- Flour – either all-purpose flour or cake flour will work best.
- Baking Powder – this recipe relies on just baking powder and eggs to get the nice lift in the oven. While some recipes also use baking soda, this one does not. Omitting the baking soda makes the cake more rich and dense rather than light and airy.
- Sour Cream – Sour cream adds flavor but also keeps the cake nice and moist. Both full fat and lite sour cream will work great. Or, you can substitute Greek yogurt if you want to reduce the calories slightly.
- Eggs – eggs hold the batter together. Any type of large eggs will work.
- Fresh Oranges – you will need both the juice and the zest from fresh oranges so be sure to zest them first!
- Vegetable Oil – you can also substitute avocado oil which is relatively flavor-free.
- Cranberries – I recommend using fresh cranberries rather than frozen cranberries. If you add frozen cranberries straight to the batter, it will make cold pockets in the cake batter. But, if they thaw them first, they tend to turn the batter pink. In a pinch, they will still work!
- Orange Glaze – to make the orange glaze, all you need is orange juice, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. You can adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding a little more or less of each.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
- Mix batter. Grease and flour a 9″ bundt cake pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together sour cream, sugar, eggs, orange zest, oil and vanilla paste. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring until combined, then carefully fold in the cranberries.
- Bake. Pour the batter into your prepared bundt cake pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Invert cake. Once baked, remove from the oven and let the cake cool for about 5 minutes, then put a plate or serving dish on the top of the bundt cake pan and flip the cake onto the serving plate.
- Make the orange glaze. In a large bowl, add the powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine, adding a bit more orange juice or powdered sugar if necessary to reach your desired consistency. Set aside.
- Serve. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it cool completely before slicing.
Recipe Variations
- Try using dried cranberries instead of fresh or frozen. To give them extra flavor, soak them in orange juice overnight.
- Use a nonstick bundt cake pan, and add a little nonstick cooking spray just to be safe. It will make removing the cake a breeze!
- For a little extra assurance that your cake won’t stick, butter the sides and add a light dusting of flour. Pat out any extra flour before adding the cake batter.
- Be sure to let the cake cool for about 5-10 minutes once you have removed it from the oven, but no more than that! If you let it cool for too long, it’s likely that it will stick.
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Wrap any unfinished cake in aluminum foil, or a cake carrier with an airtight lid, and store for up to 2 days at room temperature
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container or wrapped for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Wrap your unglazed bundt cake well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place in a larger freezer bag if it will fit, and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Once you are ready to eat, pull from the freezer and store at room temperature, or in the fridge, overnight. Glaze at least an hour before eating so it has a chance to set.
More You’ll Love
Looking for a delicious holiday cake with bright, bold flavors? This cranberry orange bundt cake is an absolute favorite that is also incredibly easy to make.
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Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake Recipe
This cranberry orange bundt cake has a rich and moist crumb studded with juicy cranberries and sweet orange. Top with a homemade orange glaze for a beautiful and flavorful cake that is perfect for the holidays.
Yields people
Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons orange zest, (about 2 oranges)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
- Grease and flour a 9" bundt cake pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together sour cream, sugar, eggs, orange zest, and oil.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring until combined. Fold in the cranberries very gently, then pour cake batter into the prepared bundt cake pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Orange Glaze for Bundt Cake
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract to make the glaze, adding a bit more orange juice or powdered sugar if necessary to reach your desired consistency.
- Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven and let the cake cool for about 5 minutes, then put a plate or serving dish on the top of the bundt cake pan and flip the cake onto the serving plate.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it cool completely before slicing. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing instructions: wrap in aluminum foil or place in a cake carrier with an airtight lid and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: wrap unglazed bundt cake with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and store frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature overnight before glazing.
Nutrition
Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 201IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
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