What do you think of when autumn rolls around? For some people, it is the changing color of the fall leaves and for others, it is the crispness in the air. Then again, just like every other season, there are some fantastic flavors that make autumn a very special time of the year. Pumpkin spice is probably one that comes to your mind and it seems as if everything is pumpkin flavored, from the coffee you drink in the morning to the desert that you have at dinner.
Another delicious flavor that goes hand-in-hand with the change of the season in autumn is cranberry. Perhaps we enjoy a slice of cranberry or some cranberry sauce along with our Thanksgiving dinner but for me, it is this cranberry orange cake that really has my heart. It just seems to be the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors and it is not only a favorite of mine, it is a favorite of everyone that gets a piece when I make it. Follow this recipe and watch the video to see exactly how easy it is to make.
Cranberry Orange Cake
Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp table salt
- zest of one orange
- 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs and sugar using the whisk attachment. Whip until the eggs have turned pale yellow and the mixture has thickened and more than doubled in volume, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the softened butter, vanilla, salt, and orange zest and mix until incorporated.
4. Stir the flour in with a spatula, followed by the cranberries. Stir just until mixed.
5. Pour into a 9×13 baking pan coated with non-stick spray, or even better, line it with foil and then spray the foil with non-stick spray (this will make it much easier to remove from the pan). Bake in the preheated oven 45-50 minutes, until browned on top and a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cake comes out free of cake-crumbs.
6. Cut into 16 squares. Store leftover cake in the refrigerator.