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A slice of orange cranberry cake with vanilla frosting on a plate
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Orange Cranberry Cake

This festive snack cake is flavoured with orange zest and tart cranberries with an easy, fluffy vanilla bean frosting.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: christmas cake, cranberry, easy cake recipe, orange cake
Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the Orange Cranberry Cake

  • 1 ½ cup (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120ml) sour cream
  • 3 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen

For the Vanilla Frosting

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
  • 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • pinch salt

Instructions

To Make the Orange Cranberry Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bow, add the sugar and orange zest. Rub the ingredients together between your fingertips until fragrant. 
  • Add the softened butter and mix with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the oil, vanilla, and eggs - one at time. Mix until blended.
  • Add in half of the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Add the sour cream and orange just then mix until smooth. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold the batter together until smooth.
  • Toss the cranberries in a little bit of flour then use a rubber spatula to fold the batter together until smooth.
  • Spread the batter into the pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack.

To Make the Vanilla Frosting

  • Using a stand (or hand) mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute.
  • Turn the mixer off and add 3 cups of the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cream, vanilla, and salt. Begin mixing on low speed until the ingredients come together - scraping the bowl occasionally.
  • Turn up the speed and mix at medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until the buttercream is light, airy, and nearly white. If needed, add the additional sugar or cream until desired consistency is achieved. The buttercream should spread smoothly without tearing the crumb of the cake but thick enough that it holds shape when piped and spread between the layers.

Notes

Storage: Keep the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Beyond that, transfer leftover to the refrigerator for an additional 2 days.