Description
This Heavenly Cranberry Pound Cake combines rich, buttery cake with tart cranberries for a perfect balance of sweetness and tang. Ideal for holiday gatherings or a cozy treat, this cake is easy to make and offers a nostalgic taste that will impress family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon flour (for tossing cranberries)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter and dust it with flour.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well mixed.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and airy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract, almond extract, and optional orange zest.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and sour cream, alternating between the two, starting and ending with flour. Mix gently.
- Fold in fresh cranberries (or frozen without thawing). Ensure they are evenly distributed in the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil during the final 15 minutes of baking.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
Notes
- If using frozen cranberries, add them directly to the batter without thawing to avoid color bleeding.
- For a moist cake, make sure to use full-fat sour cream.
- If the cake browns too quickly on top, cover it loosely with foil.
- To prevent cranberries from sinking to the bottom, lightly toss them in flour before adding them to the batter.
- The cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 31 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg