No holiday gathering is complete without a cranberry dessert, and while cranberry sauce is tradition, cake is more fun. You'll find no canned cranberry sauce or dried cranberries here, just fresh cranberry desserts bursting with sweet/tart flavor. From cranberry upside-down cakes to cranberry breakfast cakes and even decadent cranberry cheesecakes, these cranberry cakes are worthy of your holiday dessert spread.
Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake
Photo by Scott M.
Half of the fun of this cake is turning it over to reveal a sweet mixture of cranberries and pecans baked onto the bottom. “The tartness of the cranberries, the crunchiness of the nuts and sweetness of the gooey topping complement each other extremely well,” says reviewer gggllitch.
Ultimate Cranberry Pudding Cake
Photo by Jenniffer Farmer Baltzell
This cranberry Bundt cake is doused in a hot butter sauce, making it one to save for special occasions. You can also serve the sauce in a bowl in the center of the cake for a beautiful presentation, like reviewer ILA8030 suggests.
Cranberry Upside-Down Sour Cream Cake
Photo by abapplez
This stunning, fresh cranberry upside down cake will be the star of any holiday gathering. Sour cream makes the cake extra moist.
Cranberry Sour Cream Kuchen
Photo by AllrecipesPhoto
Make a holiday tradition out of this German coffee cake: "This is a holiday breakfast favorite in our home. It is equally delicious served warm or cold, and it also freezes well, so you can make it ahead."
Cranberry Apple Cake
Photo by Molly
Two classic fall flavors, apple and cranberry, only get better when paired together. Drizzle it with a vanilla glaze for an extra special touch.
Olive Oil Cranberry Bundt Cake
Photo by elinor3
No butter? You can still get a moist result using olive oil. Some reviewers suggest adding a little orange zest, which pairs beautifully with cranberries.
Fresh Cranberry Cake
Photo by lutzflcat
This simple, fresh cranberry cake can easily transition into other seasons by swapping cranberries for other fresh berries. It's served with a creamy vanilla sauce.
Cranberry Orange Cake
Photo by lutzflcat
Orange juice and orange zest gives light orange flavor to go alongside fresh cranberries in this Bundt cake. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Cheesecake with Cranberry Glaze and Sugared Cranberries
Photo by LauraF
Here’s a make-ahead dessert that will look beautiful on your Thanksgiving table: “Cranberries and orange are a natural pairing, and I wanted to combine them in a cheesecake fit for the Thanksgiving table. The cranberry glaze is a really beautiful color, and the sugared cranberries are the perfect topping. Most of the work is done the night before, so it’s not even that hard to make,” says recipe creator LauraF.
Nana's Cranberry Kuchen
Photo by Chef Mo
Kuchen, which is German for cake, typically contains a fruit or custard filling and a topping of some sorts, or in this case, a fresh cranberry filling and a crunchy streusel topping.
Cranberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting
Photo by Kim
These orange-cranberry cupcakes are topped with a rich, white chocolate buttercream. For a truly stunning presentation, try adding some frosted cranberries as a garnish.
Cranberry-Orange Bundt Cake
Photo by Kim's Cooking Now
“I bought the cutest little 4.5-cup capacity Bundt® pan to bake smaller cakes for just me and my husband. This recipe fit perfectly in it, and was just the right amount for us,” says recipe creator and Allrecipes Allstar Kim’s Cooking Now. “Cranberries and orange peel are finely chopped and beat into the batter, so you get those flavors throughout the cake. Decorating with the sugared cranberries is optional, but makes for a beautiful presentation.”
Fresh Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Photo by Kim
This cranberry upside-down cake has a brown sugar and cranberry bottom and is served with a homemade whipped cream.
Cranberry Coffee Cake
Photo by Diana Moutsopoulos
Whether you enjoy it as breakfast or dessert, we think pairing this coffee cake with vanilla ice cream is always a good idea. “Going to make again Christmas eve for a nice treat on Christmas morning,” says reviewer Bubby.
Really Cranberry Orange Yummy Gummy Pudding Cake
Photo by Patti
Dried orange peel, orange juice concentrate, and orange extract give intense citrus notes to this dense cranberry cake. If you prefer a lighter cake, recipe creator Trisha777 suggests adding three eggs to the batter.
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