Brown sugar streusel makes this cranberry coffee cake recipe extra special, and orange zest gives it a bright, fresh flavor.
It’s perfect for Christmas brunch, but I like to freeze cranberries so that I can make it all year long. It’s an irresistible breakfast cake recipe!
I love baking with cranberries, but most of my recipes call for dried cranberries because fresh cranberries are only available for a few weeks of the year.
But after making this coffee cake last year, I stocked up on cranberries and froze them so I could enjoy it even when the holiday season was over. I am totally in love with it, it is a fantastic coffee cake!
The first time I made it, I tried using a round cake pan, and it overflowed all over my oven. But it was so yummy that I persisted and tried it again with a springform. Perfection!
Don’t be alarmed that you beat the butter into the dry ingredients, then add the liquid. The method is called “reverse creaming”, and it leads to the most tender crumb. It works so well that I can’t wait to try it with other cakes!
How to make cranberry crumb cake:
- PREP – Wash and dry your cranberries, cut them in half. Spray a springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment. Wash and zest 2 oranges. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- STREUSEL TOPPING – Mix together all the ingredients but the almonds until crumbly, then stir in the almonds.
- REVERSE CREAMING – Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add the soft butter. Beat at low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- WET INGREDIENTS – Add the eggs and vanilla to the flour mixture, beat just until incorporated. Then beat in the buttermilk and mix until smooth. Fold in the cranberries and zest.
- BAKE – Spread cake batter in the prepared pan; sprinkle topping over the top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 325°. Bake another 35-40 minutes.
- REMOVE – Let cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife or metal spatula around the edge.
Remove the sides of the pan and peel off the parchment. Serve the coffee cake hot, or let cool on a wire rack.
PRO TIPS:
- I like using halved cranberries not only because it ensures there’s a piece of cranberry in every bite, but because whole cranberries are more likely to sink to the bottom of the cake.
- If you use frozen cranberries, don’t thaw them first. They are actually easier to cut when they are frozen.
- If you are using unsalted butter, I recommend adding an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the batter.
What are some serving suggestions for cranberry coffee cake?
- Enjoy a piece of coffee cake with hot chocolate, a cup of coffee, or even a glass of cold milk for a perfect snack.
- When I serve it for breakfast, I like to pair it with a savory dish like scrambled eggs, sausage quiche, or bacon breakfast casserole.
- If you want to serve it for dessert, you can’t go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe Variations:
- Instead of sliced almonds, you can use chopped pecans or walnuts in the streusel topping.
- If desired, you can make an orange glaze with powdered sugar, orange juice and a little bit of orange zest. Drizzle it over the top of the coffee cake.
- Not a fan of orange flavor? You can substitute lemon zest, or use almond extract instead.
- For a more indulgent, sweet cake, stir a cup or two of white chocolate chips into the batter.
More favorite coffee cakes:
- Raspberry Coffee Cake
- Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- Orange Coffee Cake
- Sourdough Coffee Cake
- Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
- Banana Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Chip Coconut Coffee Cake
- Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake
This simple coffee cake recipe was inspired by King Arthur Flour.
Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Crumb Topping:
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ¼ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
Batter:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (10 ounces)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries, halved
- 3 Tbsp orange zest
Instructions
Prep:
- Wash the cranberries and spread on paper towels to dry. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, and line the bottom with a circle of parchment or aluminum foil. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash and zest 2 oranges.
Crumb Topping:
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, zest, and softened butter. Mix with your fingers (or a fork) until crumbly. Stir in the sliced almonds; set aside.
Batter:
- Pat the cranberries dry and cut them in half; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, and soft butter. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture reaches a sand-like consistency.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then the buttermilk. Beat for another minute or until the mixture is smooth, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold in the cranberries and orange zest.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the top of the cake.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 325° and bake for another 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then run a metal spatula or knife around the sides of the pan. Remove the sides of the pan, and carefully remove the parchment from the bottom of the cake.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Do not use a 9″ cake pan; it will overflow. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can use a 9-inch square pan instead.
- Frozen cranberries will also work, you just need to increase the baking time by a few minutes because they make the batter cold.
- Instead of using orange zest, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract in the batter and 1/8 teaspoon of almond extract in the topping.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use Greek yogurt, sour cream, or plain yogurt.
- Leftover coffee cake can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days. I like to wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Celebrate the holiday season with this delicious coffee cake. Studded with tart cranberries and topped with a crunchy, sweet crumble topping, it’s perfect any time of day!
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