Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cake (Printable)

Tender morning cake with bright orange zest and tart cranberry bursts for a cozy breakfast.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup whole milk
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Flavorings & Add-ins

09 - Zest of 1 large orange
10 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

→ For Serving

11 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, cream softened butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
04 - Add milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Fold in orange zest and chopped cranberries gently with a spatula until evenly distributed.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly.
08 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired. Slice and enjoy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The orange zest wakes up every bite without overpowering, like sunshine baked right into the crumb.
  • It feels special enough for guests but easy enough to whip up on a whim before anyone arrives.
  • Leftovers stay moist for days, making your weekday mornings feel like the weekend.
02 -
  • Do not skip softening the butter to room temperature, cold butter will leave you with lumps no amount of mixing can fix.
  • Chop your cranberries coarsely or they will sink to the bottom, I learned this when my first attempt had a cranberry layer at the base and plain cake on top.
  • Check your baking powder freshness by dropping a spoonful into hot water, if it does not fizz immediately then buy a new tin.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter, I set mine out on the counter while I prep everything else.
  • If your cranberries are frozen, do not thaw them first or they will bleed too much color into the batter, just chop them frozen and fold them in.
  • Use a light hand when folding in the zest and berries, the more you stir the tougher the cake gets.
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