Description
This festive Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake combines a rich buttery base with tart cranberries and bright orange zest, perfect for holiday celebrations. Moist and dense, this cake is enhanced with a hint of almond extract and can be finished with an optional orange glaze for extra sweetness and citrus aroma.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- ½ cup sour cream
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (to coat cranberries)
Additional Ingredients
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (if frozen, do not thaw)
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which usually takes about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate them. Then mix in the vanilla extract and almond extract if using, for additional flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, ensuring combined evenly.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and sour cream to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently and just until combined to maintain the batter’s light texture.
- Prepare Cranberries: In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with 2 tablespoons of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Fold in Cranberries and Orange Zest: Gently fold the floured cranberries and the zest of one orange into the batter, being careful not to overmix.
- Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Glaze: Once cooled, optionally drizzle with a simple orange glaze to enhance the citrus flavor and add a sweet finish.
Notes
- If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw before folding them into the batter to maintain texture and prevent bleeding.
- For extra holiday flair, consider adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter.
- This cake freezes well and can be baked a day in advance for convenience.
