Vanilla Cranberry Bundt Cake

I’m just a cake girl. Nothing fancy ~ just plain, simple cake is my thing. Birthday cakes, bake sales, cake raffles… and don’t get me started on coffee cake. Whoever decided we get to eat cake for breakfast, I’m forever grateful.

So of course when cranberry season rolls around, I can never resist turning those tart little gems into cake. And my latest vanilla cranberry bundt cake has some pretty big shoes to fill ~ my Cranberry Breakfast Cake is a longtime reader fave, ditto my Chocolate Cake with Cranberry Buttercream.

Here I fold fresh berries right into a rich vanilla batter (sour cream keeps it tender), and drape the whole thing with a glossy glaze that catches every curve of the bundt. Like I said, nothing fancy, but definitely festive, and delicious.

I’ve been falling in love with batter lately

Don’t worry, I’m not tasting it, but I am appreciating how lovely and silky it becomes when I prep it the right way:

• Like when I actually take the time to make sure my butter and eggs are not cold.
• And when I cream the butter and sugar long enough so that’s it’s actually pale and fluffy (no cheating.)
• And when I scrape down the sides of the bowl over and over again.

important bundt pan tips to remember…

It’s no use baking a fabulous cranberry bundt cake if you can’t get it out of the pan!

1. Replace old scratched bundt pans. The dirty little secret is that they don’t last long, especially if you like to bake. This is the one I use.
2. Butter and flour or use a baking spray with flour and make sure to get every nook and cranny.
3. Let your baked bundt cool for about 10 minutes before turning out. Loosen all edges first with a blunt offset spatula.

troubleshooting bundt glazes

Glaze Ratio Guide (per 1½ cups powdered sugar)

• Thin / translucent glaze ~ 4 Tbsp milk
  • (light drizzle, soaks in, gives a sheer finish)

• Pourable glaze  ~ 3 Tbsp milk
  • (flows smoothly over a Bundt, sets with a soft sheen) It’s what I use in this cranberry bundt cake.

• Thick / frosting-style glaze ~ 1½ Tbsp milk
  • (thicker, good for spreading)

Add your liquid a tablespoon at a time, stirring well before you add more. Powdered sugar takes a minute to hydrate and you can risk adding too much liquid. And wait for your cake to cool before glazing ~ it takes patience, but do it.

the last slice

Just like that all important first bite, that last slice says a lot about a cake. Butter cakes can dry out after they’re cut, but here the fresh cranberries work to keep this bundt cake nice and moist. The last slice is just as soft and delicious as it should be. I think you’ll love this cake!

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Vanilla Cranberry Bundt Cake

5 from 2 votes

A soft vanilla Bundt with bursts of tart cranberry and a silky glaze that catches the light ~ simple to make, beautiful to serve, and unmistakably festive.

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Prep Time:15 minutes minutes

Cook Time:45 minutes minutes

Total Time:1 hour hour

Servings: 12

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Equipment

• 10-12 cup bundt pan with simple, not intricate shape

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream (or full-fat Greek yogurt)
• 1/4 cup milk, (whole or 2%; add as needed to loosen batter)
• 2 cups fresh cranberries, (or frozen, unthawed)

glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 10–12 cup Bundt pan, or use baking spray with flour. Make sure you get into all the nooks.
• Whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp fine salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer (or with hand mixer), beat 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened + 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar on medium-high for 3–4 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater as necessary to get all the butter incorporated.
• Beat in the 4 large eggs, room temp, one at a time, scraping the bowl as you go. You want a smooth silky batter. Mix in the 1 Tbsp vanilla extract.
• Beat in the 1 cup full-fat sour cream (or full-fat Greek yogurt) until smooth.
• On low speed, add the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the ¼ cup milk. Start with dry, end with dry.
• Gently fold the 2 cups fresh cranberries into the batter with a spatula so you don’t streak the batter pink. Don't worry if a few burst.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth out the top. Tip: I like to use an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter from bowl to pan, it makes it neater and easier to portion it out evenly.
• Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Note: ovens bake differently so check your bundt on the early end and don't be afraid to give it more time if the center isn't done. My cake took 45 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the pan 10-15 minutes, then gently loosen the edges and invert onto a rack to cool completely before glazing.

glaze

• Whisk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp milk and 1/4 tsp vanilla until you have a thick but pourable glaze. If your glaze has lumps, let it sit for a few minutes and stir again, the lumps should dissolve.
• Spoon or drizzle over the cooled cake, letting it run down the ridges. Let the glaze set up before slicing.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: baking, bundt cake, cake, Chrismtas, cranberries, fall

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice · Calories: 460 kcal · Carbohydrates: 63 g · Protein: 6 g · Fat: 21 g · Saturated Fat: 12 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 115 mg · Sodium: 276 mg · Potassium: 176 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 41 g · Vitamin A: 706 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 79 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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