The cake batter for this Cranberry and Orange Cake, has a cookie dough texture, which helps distribute the Cranberries evenly and prevents them from sinking to the bottom. When baked, it is as light as any cake can be.
Fresh Cranberries are said to be a good source of Vitamin C. They have a rich sharp taste and need a little sugar to offset the tartness. Eat them on their own and your tastebuds will continue doing the tango long after the last berry has been eaten.
Which is why some sharp tasting dried fruits often have a sugar coating. Check out the packet before you dive in and indulge in a quick snack, as I often do.
Ways to adapt this recipe:
The orange flavour complements the plump juicy cranberries. Frozen cranberries might work too. You could try substituting for dried cranberries, but they won't shine through as ruby red as fresh cranberries do. Whole Glace cherries may also be a good alternative.
This cake is for sharing. If you're having a family gathering over a festive season, this Cranberry and Orange cake will feed a party of 20.
The dough resembles a firm cookie dough. Which helps prevent the cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake
It will keep for a few days in an airtight tin. Longer if kept in the fridge. Bring back to room temperature before serving.
More easy recipes for you to make. Especially if you're having a party and feeding a crowd.
- How to make a Victoria Sponge Cake
- Lemon Drizzle Traybake with Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice
- Chocolate Tray Bake with easy to slice hard chocolate topping.
- Olive Oil, Carrot and Raisin Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosted topping.
If you made this cake, please leave a comment to let me know how you got on.
Cranberry and Orange Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 420 grams White Caster Sugar
- 170 grams Butter softened
- 3 Medium Eggs
- Zest of 2 Medium Oranges
- 3 tbs Orange Juice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or paste
- 420 grams Self Raising Flour
- 340 grams Fresh Cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 deg Fan Assisted.
- Grease and line an 8”/20cm Square loose bottomed baking tin with baking parchment.
- Beat the butter and sugar together, with an electric mixer, until you reach a smooth marzipan consistency and the sugar is not so grainy. This may take about 10 mins
- In a small jug, lightly beat the eggs, orange juice, orange zest and Vanilla Extract together until well combined. This will help distribute the flavours around the cake.
- Add a tablespoon of flour, to the cake batter. While the mixer is beating, gradually add the beaten egg mixture a little at a time. Beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl at intervals.
- Add the remaining flour and Cranberries and mix gently until well combined.
- You should have a cookie dough consistency which is needed to prevent all the Cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.
- If you still have a little unmixed flour left in the bowl add a little more orange juice and give it another mix.
- Add the cake batter to your prepared cake tin, spreading and levelling the top.
- Bake in the centre of the oven, for about 65 – 70 mins or until baked, testing the centre of the cake until it comes out clean.
- Covering the top of the cake tin with baking parchment will help prevent burning during baking.If baking the cake in a larger shallow tin, you will need to adjust the baking times.
- You may find that the top has a light crispy crust and may have some brown speckling. This is due to the large amount of sugar and how smooth your cake batter is after the initial beating.
Jacky
This cake is phenomenal, easy to follow recipe, I have now made my second one!
Jacky
I made this cake this afternoon ( 17th December 2025 ) and it was absolutely divine, the recipe and instructions were easy to follow, looking forward to trying some more of your recipes, thank you so much