Description
Bright tart cranberries meet a buttery, tender cake in this holiday favorite — easy to make and perfect for parties.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (12 tbsp) butter, softened
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (see gluten-free swap below)
- 12 oz fresh cranberries (about one bag)
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 9×13-inch pan by greasing it well.
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the eggs and sugar together on high speed for 5–7 minutes. You want the mixture to lighten considerably and thicken — it should fall from the beaters in a ribbon. This step provides the lift for the cake, so don’t rush it.
- Add the softened butter and vanilla, then beat another two minutes until fully incorporated.
- Fold in the flour just until it disappears into the batter — stop as soon as it’s combined. The batter will be fairly sturdy, not runny.
- Gently stir the cranberries into the batter so they distribute evenly. If using frozen berries, let them thaw a bit first to make mixing easier.
- Press the mixture into the prepared 9×13 pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Bake 40–50 minutes, checking at 40 minutes. The cake is done when the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are okay). My oven usually finished around 43 minutes.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before slicing. I like to cut small, party-friendly pieces about 1″ × 2″ for serving.
Notes
- Gluten-free substitution
- Replace the 2 cups all-purpose flour with: 1¼ cups brown rice flour + ½ cup potato starch + ¼ cup tapioca starch, and add 1 tsp xanthan gum.
- Notes & quick tips
- The egg-and-sugar whipping step is essential — it’s the cake’s leavening, so don’t skip it.
- If you use frozen cranberries, stir quickly so the batter doesn’t get overly chilled and stiff.
- Store the cake at room temperature loosely covered; if you seal it airtight the crust will soften.
- Want to make multiple pans for gifting? A doubled batch fits nicely into four 9″ disposable pans; bake time will be longer (about 60–65 minutes if you bake several at once).
Before you bake, skim the recipe FAQ or notes you’ve saved — many common questions (pan swaps, making cupcakes, bundt pan cautions) are already covered there. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Calories: 252 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 88 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 53 mg