My Cranberry Breakfast Cake is an easy one bowl snack that can be made with fresh cranberries or frozen, but don’t let the simplicity fool you, the sweet/tart cranberries pack a flavorful punch! It’s what you’re bringing to every occasion on your social calendar this season.
make this cranberry breakfast cake with the first cranberries you spot at the supermarket
Hey guys! Popping in today to share a fun snack cake with you, it’s the sort of thing you’re definitely going to want to whip up on repeat this season ~ on crisp fall weekend mornings and for all your holiday brunches. Every time I bake with cranberries I fall in love all over again, they have the brightest flavor of any berry. Did you know that when you bake them they lose all that sharp astringency you get with raw cranberries? They do a complete 180 in the oven and it’s magical.
Raw cranberries baked up in this coffee cake have a lovely raspberry-like flavor ~ don’t be afraid of them!
This easy one bowl cranberry cake is based on my super popular Rhubarb Breakfast CakeÂ
So many of you have made and loved that cake I felt we needed a winter version. And since I’ve always drooled over my friend Mary’s Cranberry Christmas Cake, that inspired me to create my own. We share a passion for fresh cranberries, and I get just as excited for the start of the season as I do with high summer tomatoes or corn. Any day now you’re going to see fresh cranberries in your supermarket, and I beg you not to wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy them. Grab as many bags as you can fit in your cart, and just like that, you’ve got your holiday baking responsibilities sorted. It’s a good feeling 🙂
Want to know a secret?
I use almond and vanilla extracts in the batter, it’s a combination I can’t get enough of. I love that you get a little bit of both flavors, and the combo has its own unique effect. The next time you bake, give it a try.
How to freeze cranberries
Cranberries freeze easier than almost any other fruit ~ they will last the year in your freezer and come out looking just like the day they went in!
- The easiest way, and the way I do it, is to stack the bags of fresh cranberries, just as they come from the store, in the back of my freezer where they’ll stay nice and cold and perfect for up to a year.
- If you feel the need to wash your berries, do it before you freeze them. Make sure they are completely dry before filling zip lock freezer bags or storage containers.
The minute fresh cranberries make it to market I stash a bunch of bags in the back of my freezer, I have a whole section dedicated to it, and I especially love being able to bake with them through the long winter months after the holidays.
The holidays may come and go, but cranberry cravings stick around all winter long
How to use frozen cranberries
Since fresh cranberries aren’t available just yet in my store, I used last year’s berries for today’s cake, straight from the freezer.
- For most recipes all you need to do is remove the frozen berries and use them from frozen, no need to thaw. They make a perfect substitute in any recipe that features berries, for instance.
I topped my cranberry cake with a shower of sparkling sugar
It’s unlike any other sugar, it glitters like diamonds! I sprinkle some on before and after baking for extra glitz and the little bit of added sweet crunch is fabulous on this cake.
What is sparkling sugar?
- sparkling sugar, aka extra coarse or decorating sugar, is a coarse grained white sugar, specially made to decorate baked treats because it doesn’t disappear or melt during baking. Use it when you want some serious glitter on your cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.
- I think sparkling sugar is the perfect garnish for cookies because it gives a great decorative look without being uncomfortably coarse to eat.
Other ways to use sparkling sugar
Aside from sprinkling it onto the tops of cakes like this cranberry cake, there are lots of other ways to make use of this sparkly magic…
- Roll the edges of slice and bake cookies before baking.
- Top sugar cookies before baking.
- Sprinkle on scones before baking.
- Add to frosted or glazed surfaces while they’re still wet.
Let me know if you make this cake
I’m dying to hear what you think!
- tag me on Instagram @theviewfromgreatisland
- let me know on facebook
- comment below, I read every one, and answer questions asap 🙂
More cranberry recipes to love
- Cranberry Gingersnap Pie ~ this is a showstopper that belongs on your holiday dessert table, period.
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies ~ I guarantee these easy cookies will be the hit of your holiday cookie collection.
- Cranberry Walnut Shortbread Bars ~ one of my personal favorite recipes, it combines homemade cranberry curd, walnuts, and shortbread ~ what’s not to love?
- Better Than Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bread ~ I love Starbucks, don’t get me wrong, but nothing compares to home baked cranberry bread. Nothing.
- Crock Pot Cranberry Apple Butter ~ this one is as irresistible as it is gorgeous, and you haven’t lived until you’ve slathered some on a hot biscuit. Put it out on the Thanksgiving table and watch it disappear.
- Cranberry Cleanse Smoothie ~ they’re so delicious we sometimes forget that fresh cranberries are incredibly healthy!
Cranberry Breakfast Cake
Equipment
- 9×9 inch square baking pan
- parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup half and half, or a combination of milk and cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp almond extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole cranberries, you can use frozen, but don't thaw.
- 2 Tbsp sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly spray a 9×9 inch baking pan. I like to line mine with a 2 sheets of parchment paper with long ends, so I can lift it out later for easy slicing.
- Mix the half and half with lemon juice and set aside.
- Cream the soft butter and sugar together for about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of your bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. This step helps lighten and aerate the cake.
- Beat in the egg and extracts, followed by the baking powder and salt, and keep scraping that bowl.
- Lower your mixer speed and blend in 1/2 the flour, just until it's almost all blended, then add the half and half, and finally the rest of the flour. Just blend until the flour is incorporated, and then stop.
- Gently fold in the cranberries, making sure to get them evenly distributed but not crushed. If you like you can reserve a handful of cranberries to pop onto the top of the cake before baking.
- Spread the batter (it will be quite thick) evenly into your pan. Add your extra cranberries to the surface of the cake, pushing them in gently.
- Sprinkle the sparkling sugar over the surface of the cake and then bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until risen, golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter on it. Try not to over bake the cake, and check on the early side, especially if your oven runs hot.
- Let cool for 15-20 minutes in the pan, then, if you used parchment, you can remove the cake to cool completely, or slice while still slightly warm.
- Store the leftover cake in the pan on the counter covered with foil.
Video
Nutrition
I am just amazed at how awesome this cake turned out. I never post comments on recipes, but I just had to let you know it was absolutely fabulous. As a non-turkey eater, I had no idea what to do with the 4 cups of cranberries in my produce delivery box. Honestly, it was hard not to eat the entire cake in one sitting! (I used whole milk instead of half and half and regular sugar on top because I didn’t have sparkling). Thanks for this!
These were really good! I made 2 batches…one with AP flour, regular sugar and unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and a second batch using white whole wheat flour, Swerve granulated and the almond milk. No lemon or half and half in either.
I made them in silicon muffins cups, some jumbo and some regular.. I got 9 jumbo out of one batch and 12 regular plus 2 jumbo from the 2nd batch….
I did run the frozen cranberries through the food processor to rough chop them so they would distribute through the muffins better….liked how that came out.
Sprinkled all with turbinado sugar and baked for 40 minutes.
The AP flour ones were very tricky to get out of the silicon cups without breaking apart – might be because they were jumbo sized or too warm or just because they were more delicate in texture. But after they were cooled and after using a micro spatula to free up the sides, they came out….delicate but yummy!
The WWW flour ones came out pretty easily…even in the jumbo sized cup but especially for the regular sized ones.
Both kinds are good but they are different! The AP flour are clearly yummier and more decadent and lighter in texture. The White Whole Wheat flour muffins taste quite good and are a bit firmer in texture…better for muffins….and better for the waistline! Using MyFitnesspal calculations for 12 servings, the AP flour with almond milk are 231 calories (242 with half and half), the WWW flour with Swerve and Almond milk are 167 calories.
Would be happy to eat either version, but the WWW version is clearly better for making muffins because of the resulting denser texture. We especially liked the cranberries…will be using them in baking more often going forward!
Wow, thanks for the FULL report! I know it will help out a lot of folks 🙂
It just turned to Fall but I’m already going crazy with seasonal foods! I made this cake today with some frozen cranberries (& a few blueberries) I had in the freezer – absolutely delicious!! I used a 9in spring form pan so I had to adjust the bake time, about 15 min longer. The batter was thick so I made a swirl design on top using a fork to even things out, the juice from cranberries I stuck on top ran through the fork marks and it looked beautiful! Definitely making this for Friendsgiving and probably Christmas too 🙂 Thank you!
Can I use non fat almond milk or coconut milk?
Yes, that’s fine.
I plan to use dried cranberries. What adjustments should I make?
You can just substitute them without making any adjustments Moni.
I have this in the oven now with frozen cranberries. How much time is this likely to add to the baking time? Thanks.
It might increase your time by a minute or two, but not much.
In the end, it took at least 50 minutes, possibly slightly more. We loved it and will definitely bake it again. In addition to the frozen cranberries, I used a 9 inch springform pan, buttermilk instead of the half and half/lemon and added both sparkling sugar and a sprinkling of slivered almonds on top. Thanks for a great recipe.
Has anyone made this with Craisins (dried cranberries)?
That’s all I had on hand… hope it turns out!
The best cranberry recipe I have made yet. So moist and delicious
I love this cake….It’s just lovely. I’m going to give it a go with frozen raspberries and perhaps sprinkle some sliced almonds on the top. I just love raspberries and almond together. I’m personally very fond of the rhubarb version, however I’m taking it to work and there’s always that one person who’s not a fan. I can’t imagine!
These were absolutely delicious and very easy to make. Next time I’ll be adding more cranberries!! YUM