Easy Cranberry Apple Cake

This easy cranberry apple cake has a layer of tart fresh cranberries and diced apples tossed with brown sugar, orange and cinnamon, baked under a rich, buttery cake with a sparkly cinnamon sugar top. It's baked right in a pie plate with no flipping, and it's the perfect apple cranberry dessert for Thanksgiving, Christmas or a cozy fall breakfast.

If you love cranberry cakes, try my Easy Cranberry Upside Down Cake too, or my Sourdough Discard Apple Cake for another fall favorite.

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I found this lovely recipe more than 10 years ago in Ina Garten's How Easy Is That?, a book I truly treasure. The very first recipe I was drawn to was this cranberry and apple cake, and I've made it every Thanksgiving since. Every year I'm nominated to bring it again, because it's always a huge hit! It sits on our dessert table right alongside my Chocolate Espresso Pecan Pie, my Vegan Maple Pumpkin Pie and, most years, my Salted Caramel Apple Pie.

It's so easy to make. You don't have to flip it out of the pan. Just slice it, and there's the juicy, jammy fruit on the bottom and a moist, rich cake on top with a gentle cinnamon sugar crunch. While it bakes, your whole house will smell like a bakery. I've made it with vegan butter sticks for dairy-free guests and with lemon and lime when I was out of oranges, and it's fantastic every time.

Ingredients

Cranberry Apple Layer

• Fresh cranberries: One 12-ounce bag, rinsed and picked over. Frozen cranberries work too.
• Granny Smith apple: Its tartness pairs perfectly with the cranberries. I often use 2 apples for extra fruit.
• Light brown sugar: Sweetens the fruit with a hint of molasses.
• Orange zest and juice: Brighten the fruit. Lemon or lime juice works if that's what you have.
• Cinnamon: A warm, cozy note in both the fruit and the topping.

Cake Batter

• Extra-large eggs: At room temperature. Beating them well is what makes the cake light, since there's no baking powder.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake, with a little reserved for the topping.
• Unsalted butter: Melted and slightly cooled. Use vegan butter sticks or margarine for dairy-free.
• Vanilla extract
• Sour cream: Makes the cake tender and moist. Plain yogurt or coconut milk yogurt works too.
• All-purpose flour and kosher salt

I have been nominated by everyone to make this again for Thanksgiving. It was a hit…a huge hit! It is so easy to make. You don't have to flip out it. You slice it out and there is the juicy fruit on the bottom and this moist and rich cake on top with a gentle cinnamon sugar sprinkle on top.

How to make Cranberry Apple Cake

My eyes are glazing over…look at all this gorgeous fruit!

First, gather all your ingredients. Peel and slice the apples. Then cut them into small (½ to ¼ inch cubes - they don't have to be totally perfect) and mix them with fresh cranberries, orange zest and juice along with some cinnamon.

You could even sub in buttermilk if you're out of sour cream.

Next step is to beat the eggs. Then mix in the sugar, butter, sour cream and vanilla. I did use vegan butter stick this time, but typically for guests I make it with real unsalted butter.

Either way, the cake is fantastic! After that, stir in the flour and salt.

Can I make this cranberry apple cake gluten-free?

Yes! You could make this gluten-free and use your favorite gluten-free 1-1 flour.

Once all the ingredients are mixed together, you pour the batter over the fruit in the pie plate. Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar and bake in a 325 degree oven. After 55-60 minutes, your cranberry apple cake is ready.

While the cake is in the oven, your house will smell like a bakery. If you are searching for an easy cake apple and cranberry cake recipe to bake during the holidays, especially on Christmas, I highly recommend this delicious cake!

Recipe Tips

• Beat the eggs the full 2 minutes: There's no baking powder, so the air you beat into the eggs is what makes the cake rise.
• Cool the butter slightly: Very hot butter can scramble the eggs.
• Cover the fruit completely: Spread the batter all the way to the edges so the fruit stays jammy underneath.
• No 10-inch pie plate? A 9-inch round cake pan or an 8-inch square baking dish works. Start checking a few minutes early.
• Prep ahead: Mix the fruit a few hours ahead and refrigerate it, then make the batter right before baking.
• Out of sour cream? Use plain yogurt or buttermilk.
• Gluten-free: Use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour.

Storage and Freezing

• Room temperature: Cover and keep up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator: In an airtight container up to 5 days. Warm slices briefly before serving.
• Freezer: Wrap well and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, or dust with powdered sugar. Leftovers are wonderful for breakfast like a cranberry apple coffee cake, with a cup of coffee or tea.

Some more delicious cranberry desserts:

• Cranberry Meringue Pie
• Cranberry Almond Biscotti
• Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp
• Easy Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce
• Easy Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe (Vegan)

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5 from 12 votes

BEST Cranberry and Apple Cake

This Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake is the perfect Thanksgiving dessert recipe. This easy cranberry apple cake recipe is an easy dessert recipe you will be making all throughout the fall! So easy to put together and just perfect for any holiday party.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time55 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apples, cake, cranberries

Servings: 6 slices

Calories: 183kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

• bowl
• Electric Mixer
• 10 inch pan

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 ounces fresh cranberries rinsed and picked over for stems
• ▢ 1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored, and diced (I used 2 apples)
• ▢ ½ cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon grated orange zest 2 oranges (I used a lemon)
• ▢ ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice I used lemon juice and lime juice
• ▢ 1 ⅙ teaspoons ground cinnamon divided
• ▢ 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ pound 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled or margarine, for dairy-free
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ cup sour cream or unsweetened yogurt (you could use coconut milk yogurt for dairy-free)
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and teaspoon of the cinnamon. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
• On medium speed, mix in the 1 cup of sugar, butter, and vanilla, and sour cream until combined.
• Turn mixer to low and slowly add in flour and salt.
• Spoon the cranberry mixture into a 10-inch glass pie plate (or casserole dish).
• Spoon the batter over the fruit mixture.
• Spread evenly over the fruit. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely.
• Stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.
• Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. The fruit will be bubbling nicely all around the edges of the cake. Best served warm but still nice at room temperature.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

• More fruit: I often use 2 apples.
• Citrus swap: Lemon zest and a mix of lemon and lime juice work in place of orange.
• Dairy-free: Use margarine or vegan butter sticks and coconut milk yogurt.
• Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
• Pan: A 9-inch round cake pan or 8-inch square dish works if you don't have a 10-inch pie plate.
• Recipe from Ina Garten's How Easy Is That?

All images and text  ©Savoring Italy.  Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.

 

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Nutrition

Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

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