Description
A delicious Cranberry Pecan Cake featuring a moist cake base with fresh cranberries and pecans, topped with a cinnamon brown sugar crumb and an optional sweet icing. Perfect for gatherings and seasonal celebrations, this cake balances tartness and crunch with a tender crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 and 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or orange juice, at room temperature
- 2 cups (250g) fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
- 2/3 cup (90g) roughly chopped pecans
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed dark or light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2/3 cup (90g) roughly chopped pecans
Icing (Optional)
- 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (22ml) milk, heavy cream, or orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (skip if using orange juice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 2-quart baking dish to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed until creamy and combined, about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs and flavoring: On medium speed, beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated. Then beat in the vanilla extract and sour cream, scraping down the bowl as needed. The mixture may look curdled, which is normal.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and milk or orange juice until smooth. Do not overmix; the batter should be thick.
- Fold in cranberries and pecans: Gently fold the fresh or frozen cranberries and chopped pecans into the batter, maintaining the thick consistency.
- Prepare crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in cold cubed butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in pecans.
- Assemble cake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter.
- Bake the cake: Bake for 55 minutes. Depending on the pan used, baking times may vary; the cake is done when the edges are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Cool the cake: Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before icing.
- Make the icing (optional): Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk/cream/orange juice, and vanilla extract (if not using orange juice) until smooth. Add liquid as needed to thin. Drizzle over the warm cake.
- Serve and store: Slice and serve. Leftovers can be stored covered at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Bake and cool cake completely, then freeze for up to 3 months with or without icing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving or warm at 300°F (149°C) for 15 minutes.
- Special Tools: Use a 2-quart baking dish such as a 9-inch square, 9-inch or 10-inch springform, or 11x7-inch pan.
- Do not use a 9-inch round cake pan as it causes uneven baking due to batter thickness.
- Sour cream substitute: Plain regular or Greek yogurt can be used instead of sour cream but avoid liquid substitutes.
- Dried Cranberries: If using dried cranberries instead of fresh/frozen, reduce quantity to 1 cup (140g).
- Icing is optional: You can skip it or alternatively dust the warm cake with confectioners’ sugar using a fine mesh sieve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 10 servings)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
