I made this cranberry cake three times over Thanksgiving week because I just can't get enough of it. It's sweet, with a golden crumb, soft and moist, and dense without being heavy, with juicy explosions of tart cranberries.
This is also really easy; it comes together in about 10 minutes. I often cover it in kirsch-flavored whipped cream, but lately I have been baking it instead with a topping of pecans caramelized in butter and brown sugar. The nuts make this rather fruitcake-like - a fruitcake for non-fruitcake eaters.
Cranberry Cake
makes 1 9x13 or 1 10" springform cake
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 tablespoon kirsch (optional)
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups cranberries (1 bag)
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan or a 10" springform pan.
Beat eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes; the eggs will increase in volume quite a bit, streaming into ribbons when you lift the beaters. Add butter and flavorings and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and fold in cranberries. Pour into greased pan.
Bake 45-50 minutes for a 9x13, or a little over an hour for the springform. You made need to tent the cake with foil in the last 15 minutes or so to keep the top from browning.
Cool completely before serving.
Optional pecan topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans, toasted
Heat the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir. Add the toasted pecans and cook for several minutes, stirring, until the butter and sugar mixture is shiny and smooth and the nuts smell toasted. Spread over the cake batter and bake as above.
This looks delicious. I'm thinking of making it in individualized portions--maybe in cupcake sizes--to give away to coworkers at the end of the week for Christmas. Any suggestions for how long to bake or other recipe modifications?
Love Gretchen's idea, especially since I found Reynolds makes star-shaped aluminum mini pans (Safeway, 1.78 per box). Instant gift! This seems like the perfect recipe for them. Thanks!
I think if you try baking individual cakes for about 20 minutes, then test and go from there they should be fine. A skewer won't ever come out completely clean - this is a really moist cake! Just make sure there are crumbs in the center and not goo.
I don't think you should have to make any other adjustments.
I'm so glad I saw this post and comments! Love the little star shaped pans; didn't even know they existed and found them at Safeway this week. Going to try the cranberry cake today, I hope; it looks very yummy.
This looks amazing. If I leave out the brandy, should I substitute another flavoring like vanilla, or no?
I made this last night--it's delicious! The entire house smelled good. I made the brown sugar topping, but I bet the kirsch whipped cream is to die for! Thank you for this recipe.