Description
This Heavenly Cranberry Pound Cake is a rich, buttery dessert with the perfect balance of tart cranberries and a sweet, soft crumb. It’s an easy recipe for any occasion, especially during the holiday season, that will impress your guests with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon flour (for tossing cranberries)
- Optional glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2–3 tablespoons milk or orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter and dust it lightly with flour.
- In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
- Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest (if using).
- Gradually add the flour mixture and sour cream to the butter mixture, alternating between the two. Start and end with flour. Mix gently to avoid overworking the batter.
- Fold fresh cranberries into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover with aluminum foil.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For gluten-free options, use a gluten-free baking blend and add an extra egg to maintain moisture.
- Wrap leftover cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- If cranberries sink to the bottom, lightly dust them with flour before folding them into the batter.
- For a dairy-free version, use coconut oil in place of butter and dairy-free yogurt in place of sour cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 31 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg