Cranberry Orange Swirl Cake (Printable)

A festive dessert with tangy cranberries and bright orange flavors swirled in a moist cake.

# What You Need:

→ Cranberry Swirl

01 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons orange juice
04 - 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

→ Orange Cake Batter

05 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
12 - 1/2 cup sour cream
13 - 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

→ Decoration (Optional)

16 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
17 - Orange zest or sugared cranberries

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and zest in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 8 to 10 minutes until cranberries burst and mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then puree or mash until smooth.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until evenly combined.
04 - Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Incorporate sour cream, orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange zest until fully blended.
05 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour half of the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface. Spoon half of the cranberry mixture over the batter. Add remaining batter on top, then dollop remaining cranberry mixture over the surface.
07 - Using a skewer or knife, gently swirl cranberry and orange batters in a spiral motion without overmixing.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with additional orange zest or sugared cranberries before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vibrant crimson and golden swirls make it look like you spent hours perfecting it, but the technique is surprisingly forgiving.
  • That perfect balance of tart cranberries against bright orange keeps people reaching for just one more slice.
  • It's impressive enough for holiday gatherings but simple enough that you'll want to make it on an ordinary Tuesday just because.
02 -
  • Do not overmix the batter once you add the flour. I learned this the expensive way with a dense cake that nobody wanted. Overmixing activates the gluten and creates a tight, tough texture instead of that tender crumb we're after.
  • The cranberry swirl needs to cool slightly before you swirl it into the batter, otherwise it'll just melt into the cake and you'll lose those beautiful ribbons. Patience here pays off.
  • Room temperature eggs aren't optional, they're essential. Cold eggs won't emulsify properly with the butter and you'll end up with a curdled-looking batter that doesn't bake evenly.
03 -
  • Invest in a microplane zester. It's the single tool that makes this recipe feel less like work and more like pleasure. It creates such fine, aromatic zest that your cake will taste noticeably brighter.
  • Make the cranberry swirl ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. You can prepare it the night before, which means you only have to mix one batter on the day you bake, making the whole process feel more manageable.
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