Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake with Citrus Glaze
Moist and old-fashioned orange pound cake with cranberries baked in a bundt pan and finished with a pink glaze. A stunning dessert that's perfect for holiday baking and easy to make ahead.
Servings 8 slices
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries no need to thaw if frozen
For the cran orange glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cranberry juice fresh or bottled
- 1 tablespoon orange juice fresh or bottled
Instructions
- Grease a large 10-12 cup bundt pan with soft shortening, cake goop, or baking spray with flour. Flour it if using the shortening option, shaking off excess. Set aside. See Notes below for more info.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Make the orange cranberry batter:
- Stir 1 tablespoon orange juice into ¾ cup milk and let it sit for a few minutes; it might slightly curdle.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup unsalted butter and 4 ounces cream cheese, softened, until smooth. Add 2 cups granulated sugar on medium-high speed and beat for 3–4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Add 6 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, sift 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. You can sift them before in a separate bowl or have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the butter mixture when prompted (my choice).
- Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the orange milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix on low speed just until well combined; don’t overmix or the cake will be tough.
- Gently fold in 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries using a spatula, making sure not to crush them too much. There should be no streaks of flour in the bottom of the bowl. Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F (180°C), then reduce the oven to 325°F (165°C) and bake 35–40 minutes more, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Time might vary depending on your oven and the pan you use.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack. Cool completely before glazing.
Make the cranberry orange glaze:
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon cranberry juice and 1 tablespoon orange juice.
- Mix until it’s completely smooth, and you reach a thick but pourable consistency (like very thick honey).
- Drizzle over the completely cooled cake.
Notes
This is a large cake, so using a large bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment is the best option, as it aerates the batter well. It's not a cake to make by hand.
Greasing the pan: After years of trial and error, my favorite way is soft shortening with flour. It works better than butter for me. Baking sprays with flour in them work for many people, but it's not my favorite, as I don't have consistent results. Cake goop also works very well, but I don't always have it around.
Bundt cake pans I use: Though I tried numerous ones with different patterns, I now gravitate toward simple pans without intricate patterns. The cakes look plainer but are easier to remove, which is a big plus for me.
Use the right-sized pan: this is important to avoid overflow and for the cake to fully bake in the estimated time. Though there can be variations due to ovens and pan materials, make sure the size is right, and it's not filled more than ¾ of its capacity.
