Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cake (Print version)

Tender cake with tart cranberries and bright orange zest, perfect for cozy mornings.

# What you’ll need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup milk
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Flavorings & Add-ins

09 - Zest of 1 large orange
10 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

→ For Serving

11 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, cream softened butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Add milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Fold in orange zest and chopped cranberries gently with a spatula until evenly distributed.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly.
08 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired. Slice and enjoy.

# Cooking tips:

01 -
  • The tartness of cranberries plays against sweet cake in a way that doesn't feel heavy, even at breakfast time.
  • Orange zest gives it a sophisticated edge without requiring any fancy technique or special ingredients.
  • It comes together in under two hours and actually tastes better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip bringing your eggs and butter to room temperature, cold ingredients create lumps that won't incorporate smoothly no matter how long you mix.
  • Frozen cranberries work beautifully here and sometimes behave better than fresh ones because they're less likely to sink to the bottom of the cake.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester for the orange zest, it creates the finest texture and releases more flavor than a standard box grater.
  • If you're worried about the cranberries sinking, toss them lightly in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in.
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