Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

When the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the Bundt pan, the kitchen smells like orange peel and warm butter. The cranberries make each slice a little different, with tart pockets cutting through the soft, sweet crumb. That’s what I want from this Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake: plenty of citrus, berries in every slice, and a glaze that sets in a thin, bright layer.

The batter gets its orange flavor from both finely grated zest and fresh juice. Zest brings the fragrant oils; juice adds a gentle citrus tang and moisture. I fold the chopped cranberries in at the end so they stay distinct instead of streaking through the batter, then let the cake cool completely before the glaze goes on. The finished cake has a tender crumb, sharp cranberry bites, and a clean orange finish.

Why Chopping the Cranberries Changes Every Slice

Whole cranberries are large enough to create a few intense, sour pockets in an otherwise sweet cake. Roughly chopping them spreads those tart bites throughout the batter, so you get cranberry in more slices rather than an occasional whole berry. It also makes the cake easier to portion neatly once it’s baked.

Keep the pieces uneven but not huge. They don’t need to be minced; small, rough chunks hold their shape and give the crumb little bursts of fruit. Fold them in gently after the flour and sour cream mixtures are combined. That last gentle fold helps distribute the berries without turning the batter pink or working it more than it needs.

This balance matters with the orange, too. The fruit should punctuate the cake, not take it over. Chopped cranberries bring their own tartness, while the zest and glaze carry the sweeter, fragrant citrus notes.

What Orange Zest Adds That Orange Juice Can’t

• Orange zest and fresh juice — The zest carries the strongest orange aroma, while juice gives the batter and glaze their citrus tang. Grate only the colored outer peel; the white pith underneath tastes bitter. Fresh juice makes the citrus taste lively, and the recipe’s extra juice lets you adjust the glaze gradually.
• Sour cream — It brings moisture and a slight tang that keeps the rich cake from tasting flat. Use it at room temperature so it blends smoothly with the creamed butter. For a dairy-free version, use plain dairy-free sour cream and plant-based butter sticks; the crumb may be a little less rich.
• Unsalted butter — Softened butter traps air as it’s beaten with sugar, which helps give this Bundt cake a tender, lifted crumb. Let it soften until it yields when pressed but isn’t oily or melted. Butter quality matters for its flavor, but a standard unsalted baking butter works well.
• Cranberries — Fresh or frozen cranberries both work here. Choose firm berries when buying fresh; frozen berries are a useful option when fresh ones aren’t available. Roughly chop either kind before folding them in, and skip sweetened dried cranberries, which won’t bring the same sharp, juicy contrast.
• All-purpose flour — It gives the cake enough structure to hold its shape in the pan. Measure it without packing it down; too much flour can leave the crumb dry and heavy. Baking spray with flour is also worth using for the pan because it coats the detailed curves more reliably than an uneven film of plain grease.

Building a Tender Crumb Without Overmixing

Coat the Bundt Pan and Combine the Dry Ingredients

Heat the oven to 350°F and coat a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray with flour, including the center tube and every groove. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl so the leaveners are distributed throughout. Set the bowl aside before you start creaming the butter.

Cream the Butter, Sugar, and Eggs

Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture looks light and fluffy rather than dense. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then mix in the orange zest and vanilla. If the mixture looks slightly uneven after an egg goes in, keep mixing just until it comes together before adding the next one.

Alternate the Flour and Sour Cream Mixtures

Whisk the sour cream and orange juice together in a small bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two additions, and begin and end with flour. Mix just until the last flour disappears; beating longer can make the cake’s crumb tougher.

Fold, Fill, and Bake

Fold in the roughly chopped cranberries, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Start checking near the shorter end of the range, since Bundt pans and ovens can vary.

Cool Before Glazing

Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely. Whisk the powdered sugar with the orange juice until smooth, adding more juice a teaspoon at a time if it needs to be pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the fully cooled cake and let it set before slicing.

Three Ways to Adapt This Cranberry Orange Cake

Questions That Come Up When Baking This Bundt Cake

Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

Cranberry orange Bundt cake is a tender, buttery cake packed with tart cranberries and bright orange zest. Baked in a Bundt pan and finished with a smooth orange glaze, it’s a festive centerpiece with a sweet citrus finish.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Cooling 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 475

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the cake

• 1 tbsp baking spray with flour
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1.75 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs large, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp orange zest finely grated
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.75 cup sour cream at room temperature
• 0.5 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen, roughly chopped

For the orange glaze

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice plus more as needed

Equipment

• 1 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan
• 1 electric mixer

Method

 

Prepare and bake the cake

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Thoroughly coat a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the orange zest and vanilla extract.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and orange juice.
7. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour; mix just until combined.
8. Fold in the cranberries.
9. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
10. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
11. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
12. Invert it onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Make the orange glaze

1. Whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons orange juice until smooth, adding more juice a teaspoon at a time if needed for a pourable consistency.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cake.
3. Let the glaze set before serving.

Notes

For clean release, thoroughly coat every curve of the Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream for a similar tang.