Cranberry Spice Cake

A moist and fragrant cake featuring fresh cranberries, warm spices, and citrus zest, finished with a tangy lemon glaze. This festive cake combines the tartness of cranberries with aromatic cardamom and cinnamon for a perfect holiday dessert.

8 servings

2 hr 52 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 spray Nonstick vegetable oil spray
•1½ cups all-purpose flour
•¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
•¾ teaspoon kosher salt
•½ teaspoon ground cardamom
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•½ teaspoon baking soda
•2 cups cranberries
•⅔ cup sugar
•⅔ cup dark brown sugar
•½ cup grapeseed oil
•2 whole large eggs
•½ cup sour cream
•1 tablespoon orange zest
•2 teaspoon lemon zest
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•⅓ cup apple cider
•1 cup powdered sugar
•2 teaspoons lemon zest
•3 tablespoons lemon juice
•⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
•1 serving citrus-cranberry compote
•1 piece cake pan

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat bottom and sides of cake pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; coat paper with spray. Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. Pulse cranberries in a food processor until finely chopped but not puréed; set aside.
10 min
2.
Stir sugar, brown sugar, and oil in another medium bowl to blend. Add eggs one at a time, stirring to blend between additions. Whisk in sour cream, orange zest, lemon zest, and vanilla.
5 min
3.
Whisk in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with cider in 2 additions and whisking to blend. Fold in chopped cranberries. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
10 min
4.
Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out almost clean,1 hour-1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around inside of pan to release cake; turn out cake onto rack. Peel off parchment paper, then flip cake and let cool for 20 minutes.
85 min
5.
Whisk powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Spread glaze over warm cake, allowing it to drip down sides. Let stand until glaze becomes crackly, about 1 hour. Serve at room temperature. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
60 min
6.
Serve cake with Citrus-Cranberry Compote , if desired.
2 min

Ingredients

•1 spray Nonstick vegetable oil spray

•1½ cups all-purpose flour

•¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

•¾ teaspoon kosher salt

•½ teaspoon ground cardamom

•1 teaspoon baking powder

•½ teaspoon baking soda

•2 cups cranberries

•⅔ cup sugar

•⅔ cup dark brown sugar

•½ cup grapeseed oil

•2 whole large eggs

•½ cup sour cream

•1 tablespoon orange zest

•2 teaspoon lemon zest

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•⅓ cup apple cider

•1 cup powdered sugar

•2 teaspoons lemon zest

•3 tablespoons lemon juice

•⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

•1 serving citrus-cranberry compote

•1 piece cake pan

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat bottom and sides of cake pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; coat paper with spray. Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. Pulse cranberries in a food processor until finely chopped but not puréed; set aside.

10 min

Stir sugar, brown sugar, and oil in another medium bowl to blend. Add eggs one at a time, stirring to blend between additions. Whisk in sour cream, orange zest, lemon zest, and vanilla.

5 min

Whisk in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with cider in 2 additions and whisking to blend. Fold in chopped cranberries. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.

10 min

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out almost clean,1 hour-1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around inside of pan to release cake; turn out cake onto rack. Peel off parchment paper, then flip cake and let cool for 20 minutes.

85 min

Whisk powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Spread glaze over warm cake, allowing it to drip down sides. Let stand until glaze becomes crackly, about 1 hour. Serve at room temperature. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

60 min

Serve cake with Citrus-Cranberry Compote , if desired.

2 min