Cranberry Cake

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Filled with fresh cranberries and topped with a sweet cinnamon pecan streusel, this cranberry pie makes a delicious holiday coffee cake or an easy dessert to enjoy by the fire.

White plate holding two slices of stacked blueberry pie.

It’s cranberry season!

I get so excited when I see those first bags of fresh cranberries arriving in grocery stores. Only a handful of stores near me carry bags of frozen cranberries year-round, so I usually have to make sure the handful of bags of fresh cranberries I put in the freezer each year last until the next holiday season.

I love these little tart jewels. In addition to being an absolute must for homemade cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, they’re perfect in everything from my Cranberry Orange Muffins to my Goat Cheese Pecan Ball.

If you’re like me and can’t get enough of the sweet and sour flavor of cranberries this time of year, you’ll want to add this cranberry pie to your dessert list ASAP.

A slice of cranberry pie balanced on top of several other slices of pie.

Fresh cranberry pie with cinnamon streusel

I used my cinnamon roll cake as the base for this cranberry cake. It’s a buttery cake with just enough sweetness to balance the tartness of the cranberries.

There’s nothing better than those beautiful bursts of fresh cranberries in baked goods like walnut and cranberry bread and gooey cranberry butter bars. So I used fresh cranberries here too, for those jewel-like pops of color and tart flavor.

Everything is finished with a streusel made with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans. Sprinkle the surface with a little icing sugar before serving and you will obtain a cake that is simple to prepare but rich in flavour.

It’s pretty much the perfect coffee cake to serve for a Christmas brunch. Or you can plate up a slice and enjoy it as an easy dessert next to a roaring fire next to the Christmas tree.

Honestly, there’s no wrong time to eat this cake!

Fork cutting the corner of a slice of cranberry pie.

How to make my own cranberry pie

Like most of my coffee cake recipes, this cranberry cake is pretty easy to make. And since you don’t need to frost or frost it after baking, it’s a cake you can bake just before guests arrive and be ready to wow them when it’s ready!

Ingredients you will need

For the cake itself you will need:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup of milk
½ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries

Ingredients for cranberry pie arranged on a work surface.

Here in the United States, most fresh cranberries are sold in 12-ounce bags, so for this recipe you will need 1 bag.

If you use frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the dough, or they will stain the pie dough. Keep them frozen and the cake will still bake beautifully!

One of the things that makes this cranberry pie so perfect is the streusel decoration. For this you will need:

¾ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

If you are allergic to nuts or don’t like pecans, feel free to leave them out of the streusel. The cake will still be delicious!

Useful resources

If your brown sugar has hardened in your pantry, there are several tricks you can use to soften it.
Before you get started, make sure you know how to measure flour correctly. Performing this seemingly simple step correctly will help your cranberry pie turn out perfect every time.
Don’t stress if you run out of brown sugar in the middle of cooking. You can make a simple brown sugar substitute to use instead.

Preparing this recipe

Start by whisking together the dry ingredients for the cake: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.

The dry ingredients for the cranberry pie are whisked into a bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar. Once well mixed, incorporate the eggs until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. Add the milk, sour cream and vanilla and blend until smooth and well combined.

Switch to a spatula and mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until well combined. Add the cranberries and incorporate.

Cranberry cake batter mixed in a white bowl.

Spread the dough into a 9×13-inch pan sprayed with nonstick spray and lined with parchment paper.

Now prepare the streusel topping. Mix the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a bowl, then use a fork to fold in the melted butter. Once the lumps form, add the chopped pecans.

Streusel topping mixed together in a glass bowl.

Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the cake. Bake the cranberry pie for 40-45 minutes; it will be ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for at least 15-20 minutes before serving. You can serve the cake warm or at room temperature. I suggest dusting it with icing sugar for a nice finish before serving!

Baked cranberry pie cooling on a wire rack.

Tips for storing and freezing

Store this covered blueberry pie at room temperature for 2-3 days, depending on how warm your kitchen is. You can also store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days if you need to store it longer.

Feel free to freeze any leftover slices of cranberry pie. Wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap and place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1-2 months.

When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, unwrap the cake and let it thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours or pop it in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use yogurt instead of sour cream in the cake batter?

YES! If you don’t want to use sour cream in the dough I recommend using plain Greek yogurt.

I’m using frozen cranberries; should I defrost them first?

No, leave the blueberries frozen. Thawing them first will cause the batter to turn a strange color.

Can I make this cranberry pie dairy-free?

To make this cake dairy-free, swap the butter for your favorite vegan butter substitute and use your favorite non-dairy milk and non-dairy yogurt in place of the sour cream.

Two white plates of cranberry pie next to a glass of milk.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray (1) 9×13-inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Beat the eggs until smooth, then add the milk, sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth and well combined.
Using a spatula, mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until well combined. Fold in the cranberries. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
To make the streusel topping, mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Use a fork to mix in the melted butter until lumps form. If using, add chopped pecans.
Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the cake batter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Leave to cool for at least 15-20 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature. If desired, dust the top with icing sugar before serving.

Store covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Serve: 1slice, Calories: 398kcal, Carbohydrates: 59G, Protein: 5G, Fat: 16G, Saturated fat: 8G, Polyunsaturated fats: 2G, Monounsaturated fats: 5G, Trans fats: 0.4G, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 258mg, Potassium: 128mg, Fiber: 2G, Sugar: 33G, Vitamin A: 451UI, Vitamin C: 3mg, Soccer: 101mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is calculated automatically, so should only be used as an approximation.