This Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake is sweet, tender, and beautifully colored. You will love this simple dessert and it will look amazing on your holiday dessert table.
Cranberries are such a beautiful fruit and when you add them to this delicious pound cake recipe you will find that the flavor really comes alive. This cake is loaded with fresh cranberries for a decadent treat.
If you are looking for more recipes for cranberries then next time check out this Cranberry Walnut Banana Bread recipe.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This beautiful, moist Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake is perfect for your holiday table. It’s sweet and tender with just enough tartness to keep things interesting – you will love this simple but amazing dessert!
- This cake fills the house with a delicious aroma.
- The fresh cranberries add a touch of flavor and color to the cake.
- It’s a festive twist on a classic holiday dessert.
If you love pound cake you may also enjoy this Tres Leches Bundt Cake recipe.
Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients and the amounts that you need in the recipe card below.
- all-purpose flour – Make sure that you spoon the flour into the measuring cup because you don’t want to pack it in.
- unsalted butter – I always like to use unsalted butter when baking, however, salted butter will also work in a pinch.
- grated orange zest – Use a fresh orange without any blemishes on it for this recipe.
- vanilla extract – I prefer to use pure vanilla extract or Mexican vanilla extract when I’m baking a cake.
- sour cream – Sour cream adds not only moisture but also a little flavor to this cranberry pound cake recipe.
- fresh cranberries – Fresh really works best in this recipe, however, you can use frozen that has been thawed if you are in a pinch.
- Powdered sugar, for dusting – This is optional, but it really adds some flare to this recipe.
Variations / Options / Add-Ins
Sprinkles – To make this cake a little more festive, you can top it with red and green sprinkles.
Ginger – You could also add ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger for a bit of warm spice.
Frosting – Instead of powdered sugar on the top, you can top this sweet treat with an orange glaze or even cream cheese frosting.
How to Make Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
Making this Christmas pound cake is so simple. Just follow the instructions below and you will have a moist and tender pound cake that’s perfect for your holiday parties in no time at all.
Step 1: Prepare the baking pans and mix together the dry ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. And, then in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix together the wet ingredients
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 7 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping down the sides as needed. Mix in the orange zest and vanilla.
Step 3: Finish mixing the batter
To the batter, add half of the flour and beat until combined. Mix in the sour cream until blended and then the remaining flour, occasionally scraping down the sides. Then, fold in the cranberries.
Step 4: Add the batter to the baking pans and then bake
Transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Then, bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center returns clean.
Step 5: Cool the cakes completely then dust them with powdered sugar
Cool the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes prior to removing the loaves to cool completely on the wire rack. And, then dust with powdered sugar, if desired, prior to slicing and serving.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve this holiday pound cake with my holiday meal like this Instant Pot Baked Ham and Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese.
Pro Tips
Here are a few tips to help you make this sweet Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake recipe.
- Make sure to beat the butter and sugar together for at least 7 minutes, this will create that light and fluffy texture.
- Spray your baking pans generously with nonstick baking spray so the cakes don’t stick to the pans. Or you can line the baking pans with parchment paper.
- Once you start to mix the flour into the batter, be careful to not overmix it. Mix until just combined or for a maximum of two minutes.
- Make sure to let the cakes cool completely before you take them out of the pans so that they don’t fall apart.
Storage
Store this pound cake in an airtight container for up five days. You can also freeze this pound cake in a freezer-safe container for up three months.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
There is no need to pre-cook the cranberries before you make this pound cake.
Cranberries are safe to eat raw, however, because they are extremely bitter they are usually enjoyed in a sweetened dish.
Yes, you can make this pound cake in a bundt cake pan but the baking time will need to be adjusted. A 9-inch bundt pan should take around 45 minutes and an 8-inch bundt pan should take around 55 minutes. Keep an eye on your cake while it’s baking so that you know when it is done.
More Christmas Recipes
If you like Christmas recipes, give these recipes a try:
Want to make this delicious recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin it so that you can come back to it later.
Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
Equipment
- 2 loaf pans
- Medium bowl
- Large bowl
- Electric Mixer stand or hand mixer
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup 3 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 ¾ cups sugar
- 6 eggs room temperature
- 2 ½ teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sset aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 7 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping down the sides as needed. Mix in the orange zest and vanilla.
- To the batter, add half of the flour and beat until combined. Mix in the sour cream until blended and then the remaining flour, occasionally scraping down the sides.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pans.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center returns clean.
- Cool the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes prior to removing the loaves to cool completely on the wire rack.
- Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, prior to slicing and serving.
Notes
- Make sure to beat the butter and sugar together for at least 7 minutes, this will create that light and fluffy texture.
- Spray your baking pans generously with nonstick baking spray so the cakes don’t stick to the pans. Or you can line the baking pans with parchment paper.
- Once you start to mix the flour into the batter, be careful to not overmix it.
- Mix until just combined or for a maximum of two minutes.
- Make sure to let the cakes cool completely before you take them out of the pans so that they don’t fall apart.
This cake is excellent. I couldn’t stop eating it! It is moist and flavorful. The cranberries are tart but not overpowering. And it’s very easy to make. I highly recommend this recipe.
Hi Ginny! Thank you for stopping by! I am so glad to hear that the pound cake turned out well for you! Thank you for stopping by to let me know! Have a wonderful holiday season!