This straightforward apple cranberry cake is produced from scratch with contemporary cranberries, apples, and pantry staples. With simply 20 minutes of prep time and 50 minutes of baking (with minimal hands-on effort), it’s the proper vacation cake to make for Thanksgiving or Christmas! Serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar, whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It could actually simply be modified to be gluten-free and dairy-free!
Why you may like it
- Fast and simple prep. With simply 20 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of idle baking time, this apple cranberry cake is easy to make—no mixer wanted! It options easy, healthful substances with none synthetic colours, glazes, or frostings.
- Supreme vacation dessert. This recipe is ideal for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or Christmas gatherings, because it showcases festive substances like apples and contemporary cranberries which might be certain to impress household and associates. I additionally suggest these 2 desserts for the vacations: apple pumpkin bundt cake or the beautiful cranberry apple pecan bundt cake.
- Tart-sweet taste combo. Made with contemporary cranberries and apples, this cake has a balanced tart-sweet taste, with simply the correct amount of sugar to melt the cranberries’ tanginess.
- Versatile recipe. There are many methods to customise this cake! Attempt swapping cranberries for raspberries or blueberries and utilizing pears as a substitute of apples. It additionally works nicely in several baking pans, like a 9×3-inch springform, and even an 11- or 12-inch forged iron skillet.
The substances and substitutions
- Flour – Use common all-purpose or cake flour. This cake may be made gluten-free; I’ve examined it with each Bob’s Crimson Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur’s gluten-free measure-for-measure flour.
- Baking Powder – Guarantee it’s contemporary to assist the cake rise correctly.
- Butter – I used melted salted butter, so no further salt was added. Soften it briefly within the microwave. You can even use a impartial vegetable oil as a substitute.
- Sugar – Common granulated white sugar.
- Eggs – They supply construction and texture to the cake.
- Vanilla – Each actual vanilla extract and imitation vanilla work nicely.
- Greek Yogurt – Provides moisture and a delicate tang. You possibly can substitute bitter cream, plain yogurt, or buttermilk.
- Cranberries – I used 2 cups of contemporary, uncooked cranberries. In the event that they’re unavailable, you may swap in raspberries or blueberries.
- Apple – I used 1 massive, peeled, and thinly sliced apple. Select apples which might be agency and never overly ripe to make sure they maintain their form throughout baking and don’t flip to mush. My favourite candy apple varieties that I take advantage of on a regular basis are Fuji, Envy, Gala, and Honeycrisp.
The right way to make apple cranberry cake
Listed here are step-by-step photographs and an summary of the directions. For full recipe particulars, scroll to the recipe card under.
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9×3-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease it with butter or cooking spray.
2) Put together the batter. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. In a big bowl, whisk collectively the sugar, melted butter, and eggs till gentle and fluffy. Add Greek yogurt and vanilla, mixing till simply mixed. Step by step add the flour combination, stirring till easy. Fold in 1 cup of cranberries.
3) Pour the batter into the ready pan. Organize thinly sliced apples in a round sample on prime, with cranberries positioned between. See my photographs for reference.
4) Bake for 50-60 minutes, till a toothpick comes out clear.
5) Enable the cake to chill for about Half-hour earlier than releasing it from the pan. Mud with powdered sugar, prime with whipped cream or ice cream, and serve!
The right way to make this cake gluten-free
This recipe has been efficiently examined with each Bob’s Crimson Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour; both can be utilized as a direct 1-to-1 substitute with out some other adjustments. If the batter appears too thick, add an additional ¼ cup of Greek yogurt. Observe that utilizing gluten-free flour might require a barely longer bake time. For greatest outcomes, I like to recommend baking the cake in a cast-iron skillet when utilizing gluten-free flour.
The right way to make it dairy-free
- Exchange the ½ cup of butter (4 oz) with ½ cup of neutral-flavored oil, like gentle olive oil, avocado oil, or canola oil.
- Swap the 1 cup of Greek yogurt for a dairy-free possibility, comparable to unsweetened almond or cashew milk yogurt. Alternatively, you should use 1 cup of sunshine olive oil or one other cooking oil rather than the yogurt.
Baking dish choices
- 9×3-inch springform pan – Good for simple launch and that is the pan I used.
- 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet – Yields golden-brown, crispy edges and a comfortable, moist heart resulting from even heating.
- 9×13 rectangular pan – Pour the batter right into a greased pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or till a toothpick comes out clear.
- 12-cup muffin pan – Flip this apple cranberry cake into muffins or cupcakes! Combine all cranberries and apples into the batter, fill every cup ⅔ full, and bake for 20-Half-hour, checking with a toothpick.
Storage suggestions
- Room temperature. Preserve the cake at room temperature for the primary 48 hours. Let it cool utterly, then cowl loosely with parchment paper or foil, permitting air circulation. It is best loved inside this time.
- Refrigerate. After 48 hours, switch to the fridge for as much as 3 days, saved in an hermetic container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or a freezer bag.
- Freezing. As soon as absolutely cooled, freeze the cake inside 2 days of baking. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. It is going to hold for as much as 2 months.
Different desserts for Thanksgiving and Christmas
- The Finest Apple Cake
- Cranberry Apple Pecan Bundt Cake
- Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Simple Apple Squares
- Apple Blueberry Cake
Apple Cranberry Cake
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Components
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or baking flour, sifted or aerated (see observe under)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 oz salted butter melted (½ cup)
- 2 massive eggs
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt low-fat
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups contemporary cranberries
- 1 massive apple (peeled and cored) – select candy, agency apples like Fuji, Gala, Envy, or Honeycrisp.
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). In case your oven has a convection setting, use a convection bake setting. Line the underside of the 9×3-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the edges and the underside of the springform pan with butter or cooking spray.
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In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
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In a big bowl, mix granulated sugar, melted butter, and eggs, and beat utilizing a whisk for about 1 or 2 minutes till the combination turns gentle in coloration, easy (not grainy), and fluffy.
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Combine in Greek yogurt and vanilla extract, and whisk simply till mixed.
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Add the flour combination step by step, whisking 1 cup of flour at a time with the moist substances till mixed. Don’t over-mix.
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Fold in 1 cup of contemporary cranberries into the batter.
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Pour the cake batter into the parchment paper-lined springform pan. Organize thinly sliced apple slices in a round sample on prime, with the remaining 1 cup of cranberries positioned between.
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Place the springform pan with the cake batter on the center rack—particularly in non-convection ovens. Bake for about 45–50 minutes, or till a tester or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear. If not carried out, proceed baking in 5-minute increments, checking every time. I used a convection setting and baked for precisely 45 minutes at 350°F, leading to a completely baked, properly browned cake. In a daily oven, it could take a bit longer, about 1 hour at 350°F.
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Take away the cake from the oven and let it cool within the springform pan on a wire rack. After about Half-hour, launch the cake from the pan. As soon as it is cool sufficient, you may fastidiously slide your hand or a big spatula below the cake, between the parchment paper and the cake, and switch it onto a cake plate, discarding the parchment paper.
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When serving, mud with powdered sugar.
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I present useful step-by-step photographs above the recipe card (scroll up).
Notes
The right way to measure flour accurately with cups:
To measure flour correctly utilizing measuring cups, first sift or aerate the flour by fluffing it up and whisking it. Then, spoon the flour into the measuring cup, avoiding scooping instantly from the bag. As soon as stuffed, use a knife to degree off any extra. Should you merely scoop the flour from the bag, you may find yourself with extra flour than the recipe requires, which may result in a dry cake batter. You’ll want to aerate the flour to get the fitting consistency!
What baking pans can you employ?
- I used a 9×3-inch spherical springform pan, lining the underside with parchment paper for a cleaner launch.
- You can even use a 9×13-inch rectangular baking pan—grease the pan, pour the cake batter in, and bake for about 40 minutes or till a toothpick comes out clear.
- For muffins or cupcakes, use a 12-cup muffin pan. Fold all 2 cups of cranberries and sliced apples into the batter and fill the muffin cups about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to Half-hour, or till a toothpick inserted comes out clear.
- A ten-inch or 12-inch spherical high-sided cast-iron skillet provides you with crispy, golden-brown edges with a comfortable and moist heart.
Different notes
- Make it gluten-free. This recipe has been examined with Bob’s Crimson Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, and you may also use King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure flour. If utilizing these flours, it’s possible you’ll want so as to add an extra ¼ cup of Greek yogurt if the batter is simply too thick.
- Greek yogurt may be substituted with plain kefir, common yogurt, buttermilk, or bitter cream. Nevertheless, I extremely suggest utilizing plain kefir or Greek yogurt for his or her gentle texture and nice tang.
Diet
