The season of cakes and bakes is here! Have you started your holiday baking or are you yet to soak the dry fruits? If you remember, I try to post a non traditional fruit cake recipe for Christmas. You know, just in case if you aren't a big fan of traditional fruit cake. Also, making fruit cakes is a bit of lengthy process, compared to the regular cakes.
So, this year my search for a good alternative to the traditional fruit cake ended with this one. It seems Orange and Cranberry cake is a holiday favourite. Well, if you ask me, there is nothing to vote against it. It's a perfectly good buttery moist cake with fine crumbs. Add to that the flavour of orange and small bite from the cranberry. You've a winner!
I recently posted another Orange Pound cake, the main difference between these two is the texture. The other one had a dense texture compared to light and fluffy texture of this cake. If you ask me to choose between these two, am stuck. I loved both these cakes, well I love cakes, period ;)
Here's a list of cakes that you can bake during this season:
Orange Almond Yogurt Loaf Cake
I dont want to confuse you more, so I'm stopping with these for now ;)
Here is the recipe…
Recipe from here
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and orange zest together for 3 to 5 minutes…
Add eggs one at a time and beat an addition minute per egg…
Add vanilla and mix in…
Add dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk to the butter/sugar/orange zest/egg mixture. Starting with flour…
Followed by buttermilk…
Fold in cranberries…
Grease and flour and line with parchment/baking paper, either 2 large loaf tins or 3 small loaf tins. Pour batter and bake in preheated oven 55 to 60 min…
Please read the “notes” section before proceeding with the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter (@room temp, I used unsalted)
- 1 3/4 cups Sugar
- 2 tbsp Orange zest
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract / essence
- 3/4 cup Buttermilk (refer notes for substitute)
- 2.5 cups Fresh cranberries (refer notes for substitute)
- 2.5 cups Flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Salt
For Orange Glaze
- 1.5 cups Icing sugar
- 1 tbsp Orange juice
- 1 tbsp Orange zest
- 1 tbsp Milk
- ¼ tsp Vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C, 10 mins before baking.
- In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and orange zest together for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time and beat an addition minute per egg.
- Add vanilla and mix in.
- In a separate large bowl, mix and combine dry ingredients together.
- Add dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk to the butter/sugar/orange zest/egg mixture. Fold in cranberries.
- Grease and flour either 2 large loaf tins or 3 small loaf tins.
- Pour batter and bake in preheated oven 55 to 60 min.
- Let loaves cool and pour glaze over them.
- Orange Glaze
- Whisk glaze ingredients together until smooth.
Notes
Buttermilk Substitute: 3/4 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar + enough milk to make 3/4 cup. Let stand for 5 minutes
Fresh Cranberry Substitute: You can use same qty frozen cranberries, no need to thaw it. I used dried cranberries and used only 1 1/4 cup. I soaked the cranberries in warm water for 15 mins to plump it. After 15 mins, drain the water and use according to the recipe.
If you like a strong orange flavour, you can add 1-2 tbsp additional orange zest along with cranberries. I also added 2 tbsp fresh orange juice along with cranberries.
I got 2 big size loaves and 1 small loaf from the above qty.
If the cake begins to brown immediately, loosely cover it with aluminium foil and continue baking.
You can store the cake at room temp for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Hi Maria,
I recently started trying your cake recipes. Tried your banana and chocolate chip bread and orange pound cake. Both of them came out well. Your measurements are accurate. Thank you so much for the recipes. I am going to try this orange cranberry cake also. I can’t resist trying it. Can i replace butter with olive oil in this recipe? If so, how much should i use? Should i use less olive oil or same 1 cup olive oil? Please advise.
Hi Anu,
Thank you so much for trying out the cake recipes. Really happy to know that it came out well for you :) I havent tried substituting, so I’m not sure about it. Also, the texture might be different. I guess when you use Olive oil, the cake can be a bit dense.
Cheers
Maria
i made this yesterday..we loved it..i made cupcakes with the left over batter..those turned out good too..thanks for the recipe :)
Hi Maria, I have recently come across your blog and love the recipes. Considering I am a first time baker, can you please clarify the below for me.
1) When you say 1 cup flour,does that refer to 250gms?
2) Also do you use the same measuring cup for wet and dry ingredients?
3) In the above recipe you have mentioned, 1 cup butter. How dowe measure it.
Appreciate your support.
Hi Kaveri,
Thank you so much :)
1 cup flour will be 125 gms approx, I use plastic measuring cups for dry ing and a glass measuring cup fir wet ing, 1 cup butter will be 227 gms approx.
Hope you get to try this cake and like it too.
Happy baking!
Cheers
Maria
I love all your recipes that I get from my email.
Lately I don’t like boxed mixes. Because they
Simply don’t taste as good that you make fresh.
So please send me your orange cranberry cake
Recipe in my box.
I will appreciate very much.
Bharti.