Whether you are looking for an easy Christmas dessert or want a refreshing cake bursting with flavor, this orange cranberry cake is just what you need. Made with yogurt, olive oil, fresh oranges and juicy cranberries, you can whip up this cake with a simple bowl and a whisk. Find more olive oil cake recipes here.
Cranberries aren’t just for turkeys and thanksgiving. I really love baking with them. This tart fruit is a welcome change to all the super sweet treats we are surrounded by this time of the year.
I am also an avid fan of baking with olive oil and hardly ever bake with butter anymore. From my top cake recipe (hello olive oil vanilla cake!) to my olive oil scones, I love how easy and delicious my baked goods turn out using this very simple and healthy ingredient.
This orange cranberry bundt cake has quickly become one of my favorite desserts. It is so full of fruity flavor and definitely not over-the-top sugary sweet. And doesn’t it look gorgeous as a bundt cake?
Laura says :
Why this recipe works
- Simple: No fancy ingredients are needed, just some decent olive oil, yogurt and fresh fruit.
- Easy: This is an easy one bowl cake recipe that you only need a whisk to make. You could use a hand mixer, but you really don’t need it. This cake is delicious on its own or drizzled with a simple orange glaze.
- Texture: The yogurt makes the orange cake base incredibly tender and perfectly moist.
- Flavor: This fluffy orange cake is lightly sweetened and studded with gorgeous cranberries. You can add as much as or as little orange glaze as you like. And it stays moist and full of flavor for up to a week!
- Festive: This is a gorgeous cake that you can dress up for a holiday party or enjoy at friendly tea. And if you have cranberries in the freezer, you can enjoy this dessert any time of the year!
Ingredients needed
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- Extra virgin olive oil: Your baked goods are only as good as the ingredients you put into it. Choose a mild tasting olive oil for this cake recipe, not a peppery one. You can also use canola, avocado or any other neutral oil.
- Plain yogurt: I like to use Greek or Persian yogurt when I bake. You can also use homemade yogurt. I’ve got a fabulous post and video to teach you how to make yogurt here.
- Oranges: The base of the cake is an orange cake, so you need oranges! You will use the zest and juice from 2-3 oranges to use in the cake and the glaze.
- Cranberries: I have tested this recipe with both fresh and frozen cranberries. If using dried cranberries, you do not need to toss them with flour.
- Eggs: When I bake, I primarily use large eggs.
- Pantry staples: Granulated sugar, all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
- Glaze Ingredients: This is optional, but if you want to add a glaze to the cooled cake, you will need powdered sugar and orange juice.
Step-by-step directions
- Combine wet ingredients. Whisk oil and sugar until fluffy like wet sand. Mix in orange juice and yogurt until combined, then mix in eggs.
- Add dry ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, salt and orange zest into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add cranberries. Combine chopped cranberries with flour then fold them into the cake batter.
- Bake the cake. Pour the cake batter into a greased bundt pan and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
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- Make the glaze. Let the cake cool completely before adding a glaze. To make the glaze, mix orange juice with powdered sugar and whisk until you have a thick but pourable icing.
- Finish the cake. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and garnish with additional grated orange zest.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
If you don’t want to add the glaze to the finished cake, you can enjoy it as is or dust with some powdered sugar. You can even top each slice with some whipped cream. Another garnish option is to add some chopped dried cranberries or sugared cranberries.
Bundt cakes are an easy way to make a cake look beautiful without too much stress. But, super intricate bundt cake pans can make it difficult for the final cake to be removed easily. I find that using non-stick sprays like Pam work incredibly well so grease your pans generously.
Silicone bundt molds also make it easier to remove the final cake. Baking times can be affected if using a silicone mold.
Giving your bundt cakes time to cool before inverting can also prevent the final cake from cracking, so don’t rush it. I usually let the cake sit in the pan for about 30 minutes before flipping it over onto a cooling rack. Let the cake sit with the pan over it until the cake falls out on its own.
Be sure to try my other olive oil cakes like my plum cake, my lemon loaf cake or my upside down strawberry rhubarb cake.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Wrap in foil, parchment paper or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months.
ABSOLUTELY! I bake all the time with extra virgin olive oil instead of butter. I do this for bread, scones, cookies, muffins and yes, even cake. Baking with oil not only yields a moist cake, but it can also add flavor, depending on the flavor of your olive oil. It also has less saturated fat and is a great dairy free option if you have milk allergies.
Yogurt isn’t just for parfaits, but is a great addition to many baking recipes. The acid in both buttermilk and yogurt helps the leavening and create a light and fluffy texture. It also adds moisture and makes a delicious cake.
Once the bundt cake is done baking, let it rest in the pan for 30 minutes. Afterwards, place a wire rack over the bundt cake and carefully flip it over using oven mitts. If the cake doesn’t release easily, gently tap the pan. You might need to run a knife along the cake edges before you flip the cake. If your cake breaks, you probably did not grease your bundt pan well enough.
Orange Cranberry Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoon orange zest finely grated
- 2 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 oz fresh cranberries chopped
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Apply non-stick spray to a 12-cup bundt pan and set aside.
- Whisk oil and sugar until fluffy like wet sand.
- Mix in orange juice and yogurt until combined, then mix in eggs.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and orange zest.
- Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- In a small bowl, combine chopped cranberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold the cranberries into the cake batter.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and tap against the counter top to level out the batter and remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cake cool for 30 minutes in the pan then invert onto a cooling rack. Let it continue to cool like this with the pan still over the cake. When cake falls out on its own, remove the pan and let the cake cool completely.
- To make the glaze, drizzle in about 2-3 tablespoon of orange juice into the powdered sugar and whisk until you have a thick but pourable icing. If too thick, drizzle in more juice, if too watery, whisk in more powdered sugar.
- Pour glaze evenly over the cooled cake and garnish with additional grated orange zest.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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