Introduction

This Cranberry Glaze Bundt Cake is a festive treat that combines warm spices with tart cranberries, perfect for any holiday or special occasion. The moist cake is topped with a tangy cranberry glaze and decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary for a beautiful finish.

A round bundt cake with a light brown base is topped with smooth pink frosting that swirls around the cake surface in thick layers. The cake is decorated with red cranberries, some covered in a glittery sugar coating, placed evenly on top and around the sides. Sprigs of green rosemary, also dusted with sugar, are tucked among the cranberries, adding texture and color contrast. The cake sits on a white plate with a white marbled surface background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 orange, zested

1/4 cup (53 g) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
1/2 cup water

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, divided
6 to 8 small rosemary sprigs
1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

2 cups (228 g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp (or more) cranberry juice
Fresh cranberries, for decorating

Instructions

Step 1: Arrange a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with butter, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
Step 2: In a large bowl, rub the granulated sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until fragrant. Add the softened butter and brown sugar, then beat with a handheld mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Beat in the vegetable oil until creamy and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then beat in the vanilla extract.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger, and nutmeg.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until only a few dry streaks remain. Stir in the buttermilk until just combined, then gently fold in the cranberries.
Step 6: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Step 7: For sugared cranberries and rosemary, bring water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a small pot over medium heat. Remove from heat, add rosemary, and stir to coat. Transfer rosemary to a wire rack with a slotted spoon, spacing sprigs about 1 inch apart.
Step 8: Pour cranberries into the pot with the syrup, stir to coat, then transfer to the wire rack with a slotted spoon. Let them dry for 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 9: Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Toss the rosemary in the sugar, then return the sprigs to the wire rack. Toss the cranberries in sugar as well and arrange them next to the rosemary on the rack.

Step 10: To make the cranberry glaze, mix confectioners’ sugar and cranberry juice in a bowl. Add juice 1 teaspoon at a time until the glaze pours easily but holds its shape briefly.
Step 11: Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake. Decorate with fresh cranberries and the sugared cranberries and rosemary for a festive look.

Tips & Variations

Use fresh cranberries if possible for the best texture, but frozen work well as long as they remain frozen when added to the batter.

If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute with 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes.
Add a teaspoon of orange liqueur to the glaze for extra citrus flavor.
For a nutty twist, sprinkle chopped toasted pecans or walnuts over the glazed cake before serving.

Storage

Store the cake covered tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days. Sugared cranberries and rosemary can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat slices gently in a microwave if desired, but the cake is delicious at room temperature.

How to Serve

A single slice of brown cake with visible red cranberries inside, topped with a thick layer of smooth, pink icing that drips slightly down the sides, sits on a white plate. The cake texture looks soft and moist with a few air holes, and two sugared cranberries rest beside it on the plate, along with a frosted green rosemary sprig at the front. The background surface is a white marbled texture, giving a clean and bright look. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this cake gluten-free?

You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend that measures cup for cup. Make sure it contains xanthan gum for proper texture.

How do I prevent the cake from sticking to the Bundt pan?

Generously butter the pan and coat it with flour, then tap out the excess before adding the batter. This helps create a non-stick surface so the cake releases cleanly.