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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

    Published: December 14, 2021 | Last Modified: December 15, 2021 by Gail Ng | Leave a Comment

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    close up of cranberry sauce filling in the middle of orange bundt cake
    cranberry orange bundt cake with slices cut out of it on cake stand
    a slice of cranberry orange bundt cake lifted by cake server
    a slice of cranberry orange bundt cake lifted by cake server

    This cranberry orange bundt cake is made with a soft, orange-infused cake with a swirl of tart cranberry sauce in the middle for a sweet surprise. It’s a sweet and simple holiday cake that looks incredible just dusted with powdered sugar with a few sprigs of rosemary.

    a slice of cranberry orange bundt cake lifted by cake server

    Why you’ll love this cranberry orange bundt cake recipe

    The combination of orange and cranberry is a classic holiday flavour and for good reason! The tartness of the citrus makes this bundt cake feel light and not too sweet. The acid from the orange juice in the batter helps make this orange cake soft and crumbly but firm enough to come out of the bundt pan without breaking.

    This bundt cake is easy to mix by hand with a whisk, thanks to the melted butter. No mixer needed. It’s also an easy cake to decorate. You can get a little more fancy with a glaze or fresh fruits or just leave it plain.

    This recipe makes enough batter to fill an 8” or 6-cup bundt pan. The pan I used for this cake is similar to this Wilton bundt pan but my favourite ones are Nordic Ware bundt pans because of their stunning designs. By using a bundt pan with a nice design, your cake can be served right away, without the need for additional decoration if you don’t want to. It can turn any cranberry orange cake into a showstopper just by baking it!

    Ingredients you’ll need

    • Cranberries - I’ve used fresh cranberries but you can also use frozen.
    • Granulated sugar
    • All-purpose flour
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Flavourless oil - Any vegetable oil that doesn’t have a strong taste works here like avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
    • Unsalted butter - We’re using melted butter in this recipe. Melt the butter in the microwave or in a small pan before adding it to the wet ingredients.
    • Eggs - They should be at room temperature so that combine seamlessly with the rest of the ingredients. You don’t want the butter to solidify the moment you add in the eggs.
    • Vanilla extract
    • Milk - You can use dairy milk or plant-based milk!
    • Orange juice - You’ll need the juice of about 1 large orange. Freshly squeezed orange juice works the best! Trust me, it has so much more tangy flavour and you’ll also be able to use the peel for the zest.
    • Orange zest - You’ll need to the zest from about ½ the orange that you’re juicing. Feel free to add more for more flavour.
    cranberry orange bundt cake with slices cut out of it on cake stand

    How to make a cranberry orange bundt cake

    For the cranberry sauce

    Boil until reduced: In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, stir together cranberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil. Stir occasionally and use a spatula to press down on the cranberries to macerate them. Boil mixture for about 10 minutes until the sauce is thick and jammy. Transfer cranberry sauce to a small bowl to cool.

    cooking down cranberries into cranberry sauce in a pan

    For the bundt cake

    Prepare bundt pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10” bundt pan with butter or cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. Tap the flour around the pan until coated with a thin layer. Discard the excess flour and set pan aside.

    Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

    Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, melted butter, and sugar until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.

    Add dry to wet ingredients: Add in half of the flour mixture and whisk a few times until almost combined. Pour in the milk, orange juice, and orange zest and mix until almost combined. Add in the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined and smooth.

    mixing flour and liquid into cake batter in a bowl

    Add cranberry sauce to batter: Pour about half of the batter in your prepared bundt pan. Carefully spoon the cranberry sauce on top of the batter to form a ring in the middle. Gently spoon the remaining batter on top to completely cover the cranberry sauce ring.

    spooning orange cake batter and cranberry sauce into bundt pan

    Bake bundt cake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

    Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes or until the pan is warm enough to touch with your hands. Use your fingers to gently pull at the edges of the cake to loosen from the pan and then turn the pan upside down to release the cake. Let cool completely right side up on a wire rack.

    Garnish bundt cake with rosemary trees and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

    close up of cranberry sauce filling in the middle of orange bundt cake

    Frequently asked questions

    How to store a cranberry orange bundt cake?

    This bundt cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come back to room temperature before eating.

    Can you freeze this bundt cake?

    Yes! You can freeze this bundt cake by wrapping individual slices or the whole cake in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then let it come back to room temperature before eating.

    Can you use store-bought cranberry sauce in this bundt cake?

    You can use store-bought cranberry sauce if you’re in a pinch but I would avoid using canned cranberry sauce as the texture is totally different. The taste won’t be exactly the same as there’s usually more sugar in store-bought cranberry sauce.

    How to keep a bundt cake from sticking to the pan?

    Always grease your bundt pan thoroughly with softened butter or cooking spray. Be sure to get in all the crevices of the bundt pan design. Then, dust the entire surface of the pan with a thin coating of flour. Bang the pan on all sides and rotate it to move the flour around. Discard the excess flour.

    When releasing the bundt cake from the pan, wait until it has cooled for at least 20-30 minutes or until you can comfortably touch the pan with your bare hands. Gently pull at the edges of the cake to release from the sides of the pan. Flip the pan upside down in one swift motion. The cake should release and fall out by itself. If it doesn’t, set the pan down (upside down) and bang on the top of the pan until the cake releases.

    More bundt cake recipes to try

    • Neapolitan Bundt Cake
    a slice of cranberry orange bundt cake lifted by cake server

    Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

    Author: Gail Ng
    This cranberry orange bundt cake is made of a soft, orange-infused cake with a swirl of tart cranberry sauce in the middle. It’s a sweet and simple holiday cake!
    5 from 1 vote
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time 1 hr 20 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 2 hrs 20 mins
    Yield 1 8” bundt cake
    Category Dessert
    Cuisine American

    Ingredients
      

    Cranberry Sauce

    • 200 g cranberries
    • 50 g granulated sugar
    • 100 g water

    Bundt Cake

    • 350 g all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 150 g flavourless oil
    • 115 g unsalted butter, melted
    • 200 g granulated sugar
    • 4 large eggs, room temperature
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 100 g milk
    • 140 g orange juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 large orange)
    • 1 teaspoon orange zest, from about ½ an orange

    Instructions
     

    Cranberry Sauce

    • In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, stir together cranberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil.
    • Stir occasionally and use a spatula to press down on the cranberries to macerate them. Boil mixture for about 10 minutes until the sauce is thick and jammy. Transfer cranberry sauce to a small bowl to cool.

    Bundt Cake

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10” bundt pan with butter or cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. Tap the flour around the pan until coated with a thin layer. Discard the excess flour and set pan aside.
    • In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, melted butter, and sugar until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
    • Add in half of the flour mixture and whisk a few times until almost combined.
    • Pour in the milk, orange juice, and orange zest and mix until almost combined.
    • Add in the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined and smooth.
    • Pour about half of the batter in your prepared bundt pan.
    • Carefully spoon the cranberry sauce on top of the batter to form a ring in the middle.
    • Gently spoon the remaining batter on top to completely cover the cranberry sauce ring.
    • Bake bundt cake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    • Let the cake cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes or until the pan is warm enough to touch with your hands. Use your fingers to gently pull at the edges of the cake to loosen from the pan and then turn the pan upside down to release the cake. Let cool completely right side up on a wire rack.
    • Garnish bundt cake with rosemary trees and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 4887kcal | Carbohydrates: 565g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 267g | Saturated Fat: 84g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 29g | Monounsaturated Fat: 138g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 912mg | Sodium: 2460mg | Potassium: 1249mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 277g | Vitamin A: 4395IU | Vitamin C: 99mg | Calcium: 568mg | Iron: 21mg
    Keywords cranberry bundt cake, cranberry orange bundt cake, cranberry orange cake
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment & rating to let us know how it was and tag your Instagram posts with @teakandthyme!
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    Hi, I'm Gail! I'm just a Canadian girl with a major sweet tooth making desserts on the internet. Let me show you how you can make bakery-worthy desserts at home that will have you wondering why you haven't opened your own café yet.

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