Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cake (Print Version)

Tender citrus-infused cake with tart cranberries and bright orange zest, perfect for morning gatherings.

# 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

# Cooking 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. Avoid overmixing.
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.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in one bowl with no fuss, no waiting for butter to soften for hours, just quick and forgiving.
  • The cranberries stay tart enough to balance the sweetness, so it never feels like dessert pretending to be breakfast.
  • You can bake it the night before and wake up to something that tastes homemade without the morning mess.
02 -
  • Chop the cranberries coarsely or they sink straight to the bottom, I learned this after my first attempt produced a cake with a solid cranberry layer at the base.
  • Don't skip the orange zest, it's not just decoration, it's the soul of the flavor and without it the cake tastes flat and ordinary.
03 -
  • Use a Microplane to zest the orange, it gets the flavorful oils without any bitter white pith sneaking in.
  • If your cranberries are frozen, don't thaw them first, toss them in straight from the freezer so they don't bleed color into the batter.
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