Every slice of this super moist, ultra flavorful cranberry orange Bundt cake boasts a buttery brown sugar orange crumb, tart juicy cranberries, and a ribbon of cinnamon-sugar. Drizzle with a simple orange glaze for an impressive cake that’s a welcome addition to any holiday party or brunch.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and additional success tips.
Step aside Christmas cookies because this Bundt cake is a must-make this—and every!—holiday season.
Today we’re combining tart cranberries, a thick cinnamon swirl, and sweet orange glaze to create a dessert that’s perfect for a celebration! It’s also very well loved:
One reader, Emma, commented: “This cake is amazing… I make a cake every week to take to tennis and this was voted my best cake ever and I’ve been taking a cake since 2008! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Sherrille, commented: “I was a little apprehensive about this cake, as most similar recipes I’ve tried were dry. OMG, this one is moist and perfectly delicious! I made mini-Bundt cakes for gifts and am on my second batch now. All gift recipients raved about the flavor and moistness! ★★★★★”
And another reader, Andi, commented: “I made this a few weeks ago. Absolutely amazing. I plan to make it for breakfast Christmas morning. I mean, why not? Yum! ★★★★★”
Cranberry & Orange Flavor Pairing
Peppermint and mocha. Pumpkin and spice. Ginger and molasses. Mint and chocolate. There’s no doubt this time of year is home to some of the most delicious and irresistible flavor combos. But there’s one duo that’s completely underrated: cranberry and orange.
I love this flavor duo year round, but especially during the holidays (hello, cranberry sauce) when we could all use a little pop of sweet/tart flavor in between chocolatey, spiced, and rich desserts. Don’t get me wrong, this cranberry orange Bundt cake is definitely decadent—and I love the flavor profile this cake adds to a holiday spread. A few other orange-cranberry recipes I love? Orange cranberry bread, cranberry orange icebox cookies, and cranberry orange muffins.
Behind the Recipe
Chai Bundt cake is the starting point for today’s recipe. It’s honestly one of the best cakes I’ve ever made, even if you skip the chai cinnamon swirl inside. It’s super buttery, moist, and dense without being too heavy.
With a quality base recipe like that, the options are endless. (Try my rum cake next!) I knew that’s where I wanted to start when crafting a holiday inspired cake.
Ingredients in Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
Because they’re so large, Bundt cakes have a tendency to dry out. Not this one! We’re using lots of power ingredients to ensure the very best flavor, moisture, and texture. Here’s what you need:
Some ingredients notes before you begin:
- Flour: We use sturdy all-purpose flour as the base because it’s strong enough to hold up to the cranberries and all the liquid ingredients.
- Butter: Make sure you use room-temperature butter that’s still cool to the touch. If it’s too warm, the butter and sugar cannot properly cream. Here’s more on how to cream butter and sugar and its importance in recipes.
- Sugars: Use brown sugar as the primary sweetener, with just a touch of granulated sugar.
- Oranges: Can’t have a cranberry orange cake without the flavor from real oranges. We use both orange zest and juice for added flavor and moisture. I don’t recommend store-bought OJ, because it’s too thick and I found it made the cake too wet.
- Eggs, Sour Cream, + Milk: 5 eggs, sour cream, and milk add moisture. It’s a lot of volume, but remember, this is a big cake!
- Cranberries: Use fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries—I tested the cake with both fresh and frozen. If using frozen, do not thaw. If using fresh cranberries, you can cut some in half or give them a rough chop before adding to the batter; this just gives a little more texture variety, and ensures cranberry flavor in every bite.
Curdled Ingredients: The wet ingredients will look somewhat curdled before you add the dry ingredients—this is due to the ranging temperatures of the ingredients. It’s normal. The butter may be warmer than the eggs, the sour cream may be colder than the butter, etc. It will all come together when the dry ingredients are added.
Cinnamon Swirl Filling
Layer the cinnamon swirl between the cake batter—half of the cake batter on the bottom, half of the cake batter on the top. There’s no need to actually swirl it, the oven will take care of that. The weight of the cake batter rises and falls as it bakes, moving the cinnamon swirl along with it.
Success Tip: When you sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar filling over the bottom layer of cake batter, try to keep it away from the edges of the pan as best you can. If a lot of the cinnamon-sugar layer touches the sides or center of the Bundt pan, the cake is more likely to stick to the pan when you try to invert it.
Easy Orange Icing
I love making icings and glazes with fresh citrus juices, like the topping on these lemon shortbread cookies. A little tang with a little sweet is always a good idea! You’ll notice that the icing is a bit thin, but it will “set” on top of the cake. For an alternative, try the brown butter icing used on my peach Bundt cake or the cream cheese frosting used on my hummingbird Bundt cake.
Before You Bundt
- Bundt Pan: You need a large Bundt pan for this big cake, one that can hold 10–12 cups of batter. I use and recommend this one and this one. Even though they have a nonstick coating, I still always grease the pan generously with nonstick spray, to ensure the heavy cake releases easily when it’s time to invert it onto a platter.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 1 hour, and then invert onto a cooling rack or serving platter/cake stand. Trying to invert the cake too soon or after too long always makes it harder to release; I find that 60 minutes is the sweet spot for this cake.
To really take this cake presentation to the next level of festive, serve it with the sparkly sugared cranberries that I also use to garnish pumpkin pie.
Print
Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Every slice of this super moist, ultra flavorful cranberry orange Bundt cake boasts a buttery brown sugar orange crumb, tart juicy cranberries, and a ribbon of cinnamon-sugar. Drizzle with a simple orange glaze for an impressive cake that’s a welcome addition to any holiday party or brunch.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 and 1/4 cups (20 Tbsp; 283g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh orange juice*
- 1 and 3/4 cups (220g) fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if frozen)*
Filling
- 2/3 cup (135g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Orange Glaze
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3–4 Tablespoons (45-60ml) fresh orange juice*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and orange zest together until creamed, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The mixture will look curdled; that’s ok—it will come together when you add the dry ingredients.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the milk and fresh orange juice, and beat on medium speed it all until the batter is completely combined. Beat or stir in cranberries. Batter is thick, yet silky.
- Make the filling: In a small bowl, mix the 2/3 cup (135g) brown sugar and cinnamon together.
- Pour half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan. Sprinkle the swirl ingredients evenly on top, doing your best to avoid sprinkling near the edges. Keep the cinnamon sugar in the center, so it doesn’t bake/get stuck onto the pan, which makes inverting the cake difficult. Cover evenly with remaining cake batter.
- Bake for 55–70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with just a couple lightly moist crumbs. This is a large, heavy cake so don’t be alarmed if it takes a little longer in your oven.
- Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool for just 1 hour inside the pan. Then, invert the slightly cooled Bundt cake onto a wire rack or serving dish. Allow to cool completely.
- Make the icing: Whisk confectioners’ sugar and 3 Tablespoons of orange juice together. Add 1 extra Tablespoon of juice to thin out as needed. (Alternatively, add an extra Tablespoon or 2 of confectioners’ sugar to thicken, if desired.) Drizzle icing over cake before slicing and serving.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the entire cake ahead of time (before topping with icing). Cover cooled cake and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before icing and serving. Baked cake can be frozen up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature (if desired) before icing and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 10-inch Bundt Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Citrus Juicer | Citrus Zester | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Sour Cream: You can use 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Just as moist and delicious!
- Orange Juice: Use fresh orange juice. You’ll need an orange for the zest anyway, so use up that juice in the cake and icing. The cake tastes MUCH better with fresh juice than with store-bought OJ.
- Cranberries: 1 and 3/4 cups of fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries work.
- Optional Garnish: I added some sugared cranberries for garnish.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally,
I’m just not able to find any cranberries here in Sydney except the sweetened dried ones :(. I really want to make this cake.. could I still use them ?
Thanks so much,
Prerna
Yes, dried cranberries will work in this cake!
Hi Sally! I made this cake for my husband tonight and he had to have more than one big piece….A great sign that he loved your Cake! Me too! It was super moist like you said. I wouldnt change a thing. I love your recipes. God bless, Brenda from British Columbia, Canada
Hi Sally:
I happened to stumble upon your website and I want to say ILOVE IT!!! Everything about it is so interesting….. from your step by step instructions to your gorgeous photos of the recipes. I literally spent two hours one day reading your recipes when I was supposed to be cleaning out closets!! I found this Cranberry Orange bunt recipe and decided to try it. After reading all the comments on this recipe, I’m embarrassed to say it didn’t come out anything like the photo. The flavor was tremendous but the texture was extremely heavy and tough. It reminded me more of a pound cake. I served it for brunch and everyone loved it but my husband even noticed the compact texture. I consider myself a veteran baker and my co-workers keep telling me I should sell my baked goods. This recipe was not difficult my any means. What do you think I did wrong? Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Cheryl! Welcome! Thanks for saying hi. This cranberry orange Bundt cake is a heavier cake and more on the pound cake style side. But it shouldn’t be tough. I wonder if you overbeat the butter/sugar? Sometimes that’s easy to do when you’re working with so much butter + sugar– or batter in general.
I made this for my husband’s office’s Christmas party and it was a huge hit despite the stiff competition – homemade cherry pie, among others. Took some pieces to the local library where I volunteer, and it was raves all around. Even my husband, who doesn’t really like cakes and sweets, calls this one “a keeper.” You do need to be VERY careful not to let the cinnamon touch the sides or the inside tube of your bunt because it sticks like glue; otherwise, this one is very much a keeper.
Thank you Sally for this wonderful recipe. The texture and flavor was perfect. A big hit.
I made this recipe and by mistake incorporated the 3/4 cup of brown sugar into the batter with the rest of the sugar. Still takes great, just one problem the cake stuck to the bundt pan. I have had this happen more times than not with the pan and am ready to ditch it unless there is something I’m not doing right to prevent it from happening. Anyway this cake was going to a party tonight and while I don’t expect an immediate answer (you do have a little one and sleep is king for you for sure!) I am wondering how I might be able to still serve it, maybe as a trifle?
Hi Anne Marie! I would definitely make a trifle out of it. Maybe with some sugared cranberries and some whipped cream that you can flavor with orange zest?
I just love the idea of fruit flavors at holiday time. It helps to cut through all the rich spicy flavors! Is there anyway this cake could be made into cupcakes and if so, how long would you cook them for?
Absolutely. I would bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Can’t wait to try this, looks delicious! Would this be good to bake as mini loaves for gifts? How much baking time would you recommend?
Definitely! I’m unsure of the exact bake time, but mini loaves (in general) take around 30 minutes.
Oh, Sally, another awesome recipe! I made this for my husband’s office party and it was a huge hit, as all your recipes are!! He said there weren’t even any crumbs left.lol. As I’ve said in other posts, every recipe I have made is an instant hit and everyone wants the recipes! I’m just in love with your blog and all your recipes!
Hey Sally! I tried this bundt twice in a row, and both times, the bottom half got stuck in the pan when I flipped it after two hours of cooling. They were both fully baked (and delicious!), but they separated at the cinnamon swirl. Do you have any tips to prevent this? Thanks!
I find that if I grease the bottom of the pan SUPER well, I never have that issue. Also, as you are assembling the cake batter prior to baking, do not spread the cinnamon swirl to the edges of the pan. That way the cinnamon swirl won’t be as likely to bake on (and get stuck to) the pan– which may have caused the separation.
Wow! Thank you for posting! When you say something is good, I take that seriously. I had some sugar cookies pounded into crumbs that I added to the cinnamon-brown mixture, which I spread on the top and bottom of this cake. It just came out of the oven and hope to freeze for next week!
Wow! I baked this last night and glazed it this morning. It is DELICIOUS!! Perfectly moist, not too sweet and the cranberries add a wonderful tang. I have been using your recipes for a few years and I am always happy with the results. Thanks.
This is so delicious! Thank you! I absolutely love your recipes. I have eaten far too much cake myself. But I noticed that the cinnamon layer sank. I actually thought I put too much batter in the pan first. After flipping the cake and cutting it, the cinnamon layer was close to the top (bottom). Do you know why? Also, seems a little underdone around the cinnamon layer even though the toothpick came out clean. Definitely still amazing and won’t stop me from eating it. Just curious what I may have done wrong.
Can extra milk be substituted for the sour cream or yogurt? Or will that be too thin?
The batter will be too thin and the cake will taste a little too wet.
Another success! I’ve never baked anything from this blog that I haven’t absolutely loved! Made this last night for a potluck holiday lunch today and it was SO delicious…the little pop of cranberry was just perfect. Only thing that I would suggest to other folks is to not necessarily spread the brown sugar all the way to the pan’s edge–the outside of my cake had a big crack all the way round with just a bunch of brown sugar that had seeped out (and stuck to my bundt pan). However, it still held together when being sliced very well and is the perfect holiday flavor combination.
First time poster here, made many recipes on your site. Made this for a holiday party last night, HUGE hit. A few notes: my 12 cup bundt was quite full, but it didn’t overflow. The bundt did brown quite quickly for me about 15-20 minutes into baking, so I put foil on top, which solved the problem. (My oven runs hot, too.)
Otherwise–AMAZING! I can’t get over how moist and tender this is. Thank you!!
Delicious! I baked one for my son’s school and one for home. I love the orange/cranberry combination and this recipe is a delight . Sally, your recipes are always a success! Never disappointed to try them. Happy holidays. Enjoy the holidays and end of year festivities with your little one.
Hey Sally! This looks amazing, as does everything you post, and I plan on baking it this weekend, probably several times! Do you think it would work split into two loaf pans instead? I would love to ship one to my in-laws, but I think the loaf shape would ship better than a bundt. Can’t wait to taste it, that cinnamon swirl looks heavenly!
Hi Candace! I made this as two loaves the other week actually. There was a *little* bit of batter leftover. Just fill the pans 2/3 full. I remember it took about 50 minutes or so. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.
Hi Sally, i do not own a bundt pan or a loaf pan but i really do want to try your bundt cake recipes. Will it work if i cut your bundt cake recipe in half and bake it in a square pan at the same prescribed temperature? Will a 8×8 or a 9×9 pan work better?
Hi Adeline, I haven’t tested this recipe in a square pan but here is a helpful post on Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions that should help you figure out how much batter you would need for different size pans.
This cake looks absolutely delicious! Do you think it would be possible to make it into muffins/cupcakes?
Thank you!
I like my muffins to be a bit lighter so I suggest you try these: https://route-span.live/2014/11/06/cranberry-orange-muffins/%3C/p%3E
Hi Sally! I LOVE orange and cranberry so I will be making this cake ASAP! I’m thinking about trying some cardamom in the cinnamon brown sugar swirl. How much cardamom do you suggest I use? Thank you!
I’d add 1/2 teaspoon. Should be delicious!
Looking forward to making this! Do you think this would be good with a streusel topping? I was afraid that it might sink into the cake. I would use a regular tube pan if I added the streusel
I think the addition of streusel on top would be great!
What capacity bundt pan does this fill? Thanks!
12 cup
can this made in a 9 x 13 pan. I have such rotten luck with bundt cakes?
Hi Mary! There is too much batter for a 9×13 size pan. But you can use enough batter to fill the pan halfway. Use any leftover batter for mini loaves, a 9×5 loaf, or mini cupcakes.
This Bundt looks delicious. What can I use instead of the orange juice?
Milk works!
How would nuts added to the swirl layer be?
Delish– I’d go with 1 cup chopped nuts. Pecans or walnuts would be wonderful.
This is exactly what was missing for my Christmas desserts table! Do you think your Brown butter icing would go well with this? I think I’d like a thicker icing for it to make it even more dessert-y. 🙂
Absolutely! The brown butter flavor would pair wonderfully with the orange and cranberry.