This Cranberry Bundt Cake is one of my fave original creations. I remember testing this recipe about 10 times in the span of 5 days. My husband ate a lot of this cake, and let me tell you, he adored it. It combines the a buttery traditional pound cake with cranberries and raspberries in a swirl and topping. It’s giving sweet and tart flavor. It’s a legit hit for the holiday season.
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“Your cake was seriously aaaaaaaamazing and on top of that, it’s beyond gorgeous!!!!”
—JULIANNE
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter. You can grab salted butter. Just omit that salt boos.
- Fresh Cranberries. They are only available in the fall months but you can easily swap them for frozen if that’s all that’s available but frozen have more water.
- Raspberries: Swap in some strawberries here if you want.
- Brown Sugar: If you don’t have any lying around, make your own brown sugar with granulated sugar and molasses.
How to Make Cranberry Bundt Cake
Layer the Fruit in Your Pan
Step 1: Add the melted butter to the bottom of the Bundt pan and top with three-quarters cup of the brown sugar and the cinnamon. Spread the raspberries and cranberries over the brown sugar evenly and carefully pat them down inside the pan.
Step 2: Cover the berries with the remaining brown sugar.
Mix the Cake Batter and Make Swirl
Step 3: Add the butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on high speed for a minute. Slowly add the granulated sugar to the bowl and beat for five minutes. At this point, the mixture should be very pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after you add each one and scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Step 4: Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add the flour to the bowl in two batches using the lowest speed of your mixer. Be careful not to overbeat the batter y’all! Add the sour cream and vanilla extract to the bowl. Scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter just until everything is combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
Step 5: Remove about a cup of the batter from the mixing bowl and place it in a small bowl. Add the melted raspberry jam and red food coloring to the bowl.
Step 6: Mix until smooth and evenly colored.
Assemble and Bake
Step 7: Evenly pour about a third of the plain batter into the Bundt pan over the berries.
Step 8: Add half of the swirl batter on top.
Step 9: Add another third of the plain batter and the remaining swirl batter on top. End with the remaining third of the plain batter on top.
Step 10: Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the top of the cake comes out clean.
Step 11: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for only 5 to 7 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate to finish cooling. If any berries stick to the pan use a butter knife to remove them and place them back on top of the cake.
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Cranberry Bundt Cake Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
Berry Top
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ cups fresh raspberries
- 1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries
Cake
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature 3 sticks
- 2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour sifted
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting optional
Swirl
- 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam melted
- 3-4 drops red food coloring
Instructions
For the Top
- Preheat your oven to 325ºF. Prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan with the nonstick method of your choice.
- Add the melted butter to bottom of the Bundt pan. Cover the butter with 3/4 cup of the brown sugar and the cinnamon.
- Evenly spread the raspberries and cranberries over the brown sugar, covering the entire area. Carefully pat down the berries inside the pan.
- Cover the berries with the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Set aside.
For the Cake
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the butter and beat on high speed for 1 minute. Slowly add the granulated sugar. Cream together for an additional 5 minutes, until very pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time. combining well after each addition and scraping down the side and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed and slowly add the flour mixture in 2 batches. Be careful not to overbeat. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
For the Swirl
- Remove 1 cup of the batter from the mixing bowl and add it to a separate small bowl.
- Stir in the melted raspberry jam and red food coloring and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
To Assemble
- Evenly pour 1/3 of the plain batter into the Bundt pan over the berries. Add 1/2 of the swirl batter on top. Add another 1/3 of the plain batter and the remaining swirl batter on top. Then add the remaining 1/3 of the plain batter on top.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top of cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven. Let cool for only 5 to 7 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate to finish cooling. If any berries stick to the pan, carefully use a butter knife to remove them and place them back on top of the cake. Lightly cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap so it does not dry out. Let the juices settle (to speed this process, you can refrigerate).
- If using, garnish with a small sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. Serve.
Notes
How to Store Cranberry Bundt Cake
The flavors of this cake do tend to improve as the cake sits as the juices from the fruit soak into the cake. I recommend making this cake no more than one day in advance for the best presentation. Here’s how to store your cake to ensure it keeps fresh as long as possible. Cool the cake completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Keep it at room temperature, but someplace that’s cool and away from sunlight for up to three days. For longer storage, place the wrapped or covered cake in the refrigerator. This can extend its freshness for up to a week. However, refrigeration can dry out the cake.How long will cranberry bundt cake last?
At room temp, the cake will stay fresh for 2-3 days.Can I freeze cranberry pound cake?
Yep boos, you can! Once the cake is completely cooled double, wrap it in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw it out on the counter and serve at room temperature. The fruit topping may be a bit stickier and messier after freezing, so this is only recommended for preserving the cake.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- To melt the raspberry jam, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 20 to 30 seconds until it is runny and thin.
- To catch any juices that may drip while the cake bakes, add a sheet of parchment paper or foil on a shelf below the Bundt pan.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The eggs, butter, and sour cream should all be at room temperature before mixing the cake together. It’s a game changer. This allows for the ingredients to mix together properly and smoothly, ensuring the cake cooks up with the desired outcome. We want that crumb to be popping.
- Take your time will creaming: If you ain’t got time to devote to creaming, you ain’t got time to make this cake. This is not a place to save time. Make sure you cream the butter and sugar long enough for it to be light and fluffy. Creaming the butter and sugar adds air to them and contributes to the height of the cake.
- Don’t Over Mix the Batter: Once you add the flour to the batter it’s important to only mix long enough to bring all the ingredients together. Over-mixing may make your cake a bit dry and tough. We don’t want no dry cake.
- Grease It Up: Because we have an upside down topping, make sure you really grease it up. My cake release is the best thing to use.
- Cool in the Pan for a Short Time: The butter, sugar, and fruit mixture will get sticky as it cools which may make it harder to get the cake out of the pan. Cool in the pan for 5-7 minutes to give it time to set and then invert the cake to let it finish cooling.
- Bake in Preheated Oven: A preheated oven is essential to even cooking and the outcome of your cake. A good 15-20 minutes or so will usually do the trick.
Recipe Help
Bundt cakes on their own are a bit tricky when it comes to removing them from the pan, but the baked fruit adds another element to consider. I grease mine with my homemade cake release before adding the fruit and batter. This keeps the cake from sticking. You will also want to cool the cake in the pan for about 5-7 minutes and then invert it. Don’t let it sit in the pan longer as it may be more difficult to get it out.
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I made this and it was very good! I’m wondering however, is there supposed to be a tsp of baking powder? I didn’t see any leavening agent in this recipe. I think the next time I make it I may add it in. Thx for the recipe 🙂
Pound cakes are naturally dense without a lot of air pockets so this cake doesn’t really require it. If you would like it to be more airy, you can certainly add a little in.