Cranberry Orange Swirl (Print Version)

Vibrant cranberry and orange blend into a tangy-sweet holiday dessert bursting with flavor.

# Components:

→ Cranberry Swirl

01 - 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons orange juice
04 - 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

→ Orange Cake Batter

05 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - ¼ teaspoon baking soda
08 - ¼ teaspoon salt
09 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
12 - ½ cup sour cream
13 - ¼ cup fresh orange juice
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

→ Decoration (Optional)

16 - ¼ cup powdered sugar
17 - Orange zest or sugared cranberries

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and zest in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Puree or mash until smooth.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined.
04 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Beat in sour cream, orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange zest until fully combined.
06 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing gently just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
07 - Pour half the batter into the pan and smooth the surface. Spoon dollops of cranberry mixture over the batter. Add remaining batter, then top with remaining cranberry mixture. Using a skewer or knife, gently swirl cranberries and batter to create a spiral pattern without overmixing.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with orange zest or sugared cranberries before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tart-sweet cranberry swirl surprises you in every slice, creating a flavor that tastes fancy but comes together in under an hour.
  • This is the dessert that makes people ask for seconds, even if they usually skip cake at holiday gatherings.
  • Orange and cranberry are a classic pairing that feels both festive and comforting, like a memory you didn't know you had.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional. I once used cold eggs and cold sour cream and ended up with a grainy batter that baked into a disappointing cake. Now I set everything out while the oven preheats.
  • The cranberry swirl must cool slightly before you swirl it into the batter. Hot cranberry mixture will start cooking the batter around it, creating an uneven texture that no amount of hoping will fix.
03 -
  • Grate your orange zest directly into your dry ingredients. The oils cling to the flour and distribute the flavor more evenly than if you add zest to the wet ingredients.
  • If your cranberries seem very tart when you taste the raw mixture, add an extra tablespoon of sugar before simmering. Trust your palate more than the recipe.
Return