Description
A festive and moist Cranberry Christmas Cake featuring fresh cranberries and a tender crumb, perfect for holiday gatherings or a delightful seasonal treat. The cake is leavened naturally by whipped eggs and has a wonderful balance of sweet and tart flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
cake ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (for gluten-free alternative, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend)
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the cake.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: Using a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened, light in color, and nearly doubled in size. The batter should form a ribbon when the beaters are lifted, ensuring proper aeration and leavening.
- Add Butter and Vanilla: Add the softened butter and vanilla extract to the egg mixture and beat for an additional 2 minutes to incorporate fully.
- Incorporate Flour: Gently stir in the all-purpose flour until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can make the cake tough.
- Add Cranberries: Fold in the fresh cranberries evenly through the batter, ensuring they are well distributed.
- Prepare Pan: Butter a 9×13 inch baking pan, then spread the batter evenly inside.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the cake is lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. The recipe suggests 43 minutes is optimal.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting into small 1×2 inch slices, making it easy to serve as party bites. Enjoy your festive cranberry cake!
Notes
- This cake is naturally leavened by whipped eggs, so beating the eggs and sugar properly is essential for texture and rise.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of a gluten-free baking flour blend.
- Cutting the cake into small, bite-size pieces is ideal for parties and easy serving.
- Fresh cranberries add a nice tart contrast; frozen cranberries may be used but thaw and drain them to prevent excess moisture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1x2 inch piece)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
