Brown Sugar Bundt Cake with Candied Cranberries

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This sweet Brown Sugar Bundt Cake is studded with sweet and tart cranberries and is finished off with an orange glaze.

As soon as fall comes around I begin thinking about holiday baking.   Fresh cranberries are one of those things I can only get at this time of year so I always stock up while i can.

I knew I wanted to make some with cranberries for Thanksgiving dessert.  In previous years I’ve made my famous Cranberry Bliss Bars or these sweet and tart Cranberry Lemon Cookies.  A family favorite is this Cranberry Pecan Bundt Cake.

This year I wanted something with fresh cranberries and found a recipe for a brown sugar Bundt cake that had candied cranberries in it.  It sounded interesting with the sweet brown sugar flavor pairing with the tartness of the fresh cranberries.

what are candied cranberries?

Candied cranberries are cranberries that have been coated or infused with sugar.  This creates a sweet and tart cranberry. The process involves simmering fresh cranberries in a sugar syrup until they absorb the sweetness and develop a glossy, candied exterior.

Ingredients:

• fresh cranberries (fresh cranberries are best but frozen can also be used)
• granulated sugar
• fresh orange juice (again, fresh is best but bottled juice will work as well)
• salt (kosher salt is my preference)
• ground cinnamon (get one with a strong flavor)
• all purpose flour
• baking soda
• brown sugar (I use light brown sugar but dark brown sugar can also be used)
• butter (I prefer salted in my baking but unsalted can be used)
• vanilla bean pod (if you don’t have vanilla beans vanilla extract can be used)
• eggs
• buttermilk (buttermilk is preferred but regular cow’s milk is fine)
• powdered sugar

The first thing to do is to make the candied cranberries.   In a saucepan combine the cranberries, sugar, water, orange juice, and cinnamon.  Simmer for 15 minutes then pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and save the liquid for a later use.

What can I do with the cranberry liquid?

This liquid is great for adding to cocktails.   It would be perfect in this Cranberry Champagne Cocktail in place of the cranberry juice or in this tasty Cranberry Ginger Margarita which is great at the holidays. It can also be used in non-alcoholic drinks like this Cranberry Orange Mocktail or Hot Spiced Cranberry Drink. 

Other uses would be to drizzle it on top of cakes like this delicious Spice Cake.  You can even use it on top of ice cream for a fall or winter topping!

After making the cranberries it’s time to make the cake.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a Bundt pan with baking spray. 

In a bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.  In another bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar.  Add in the eggs and vanilla bean caviar (which are the seeds). 

Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture.  Then add the milk and mix well.  Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Fold in the cranberries then pour into the prepared pan. 

Bake for one hour.   Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges, then flip the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

The next thing to do is to make the glaze.  This is optional.  This cake looks great with just a dusting of powdered sugar or you can drizzle the leftover cranberry liquid on top once you serve the cake.

Can I make different flavors of glaze?

Yes!   I chose to make an orange glaze when I made this cake at my house and the orange paired so nicely with the cranberries.   When i made this for Thanksgiving I used a simple vanilla glaze because I knew my cousin doesn’t like orange.   You can also use lemon juice to make lemon glaze or almond extract to make an almond glaze.

To make the glaze whisk together powdered sugar and either fruit juice or milk.  Add in extract or vanilla bean seeds.   Mix until a drizzling consistency is reached.   Drizzle over top of the cake on a wire rack.  Place parchment paper or a baking pan underneath to catch the dripping glaze.   Allow the glaze to harden then slice and serve.

How do I store this cake?

The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days if it is covered.  It can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  The remaining cranberry liquid can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

I really loved the flavors in this cake.  It was sweet but the cranberries added a nice tartness to the cake.  The glaze added a hint of fruitiness.  I served my cake with the cranberry liquid and whipped cream.  It was perfect as a holiday dessert.

Brown Sugar Bundt Cake with Candied Cranberries

A sweet brown sugar Bundt cake studded with tart candied cranberries.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Author: Hezzi-D

Ingredients

For the candied cranberries:

• 2 c. cranberries fresh or frozen
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. water
• 1/4 c. orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cake:

• 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 c. light brown sugar packed
• 2 sticks 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 vanilla bean halved
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 c. buttermilk divided
• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Instructions

• To make the candied cranberries stir together the cranberries, water, orange juice, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries are soft but retain their shape. This will take about 15 minutes.
• Pour the cranberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer that sits over top of a bowl to catch the liquid. Let the cranberries cool. Reserve the cranberry syrup for serving or other uses.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a Bundt pan with baking spray or butter and flour it. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
• In a large bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add in half of the vanilla bean seeds scraped from the bean and mix well.
• Add the eggs and mix well.
• Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.
• Pour in one cup of buttermilk and mix until combined.
• Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• Fold in the cooled cranberries.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Run a knife around the edges and then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
• To make the glaze whisk together the powdered sugar, remaining vanilla bean seeds, and remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk. If you choose to make a fruit glaze replace 2 tablespoons of the milk with 2 tablespoons of juice.
• Pour the glaze over top of the cake and allow the glaze to run down the sides. Let it harden for 10 minutes.
• Slice the cake and serve with cranberry syrup and whipped cream.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine, November 2023

Delicious Cranberry Desserts

• Brown Sugar Bundt Cake with Cranberries from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Cranberry Crumble Bars from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Cranberry Fluff Salad from Jen Around the World
• Orange Craisin Waffle Bread Pudding from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Cranberry Pecan Muffins from That Recipe
• Quick Cranberry Pecan Bread from Art of Natural Living

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