This delicious cranberry coffee cake is light and moist, studded with cranberries and topped with an almond streusel topping. A great cake to enjoy any time of day and especially nice holiday cake!
I have been making this cranberry coffee cake for many years. It is the perfect thing to have on your counter as family arrives or friends drop by for the holidays. It’s a wonderful way to welcome them!
Perfect for any time of day, this light and moist cake is full of cranberries and topped with a delicious almond streusel topping. Enjoy this cranberry cake with morning coffee, with afternoon tea or as a dessert with a dollop of whipped cream.
Ingredients and substitutions
Cranberries: You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. If frozen, use from frozen, but expect the cake to take a bit of extra baking time.
Sour Cream – full fat sour cream is recommend, for the best texture, moistness and flavour. Full fat Greek yogurt would be a good substitute, but the lower fat of yogurt will make some difference in the cake.
Almond Extract: I am not a fan of the taste of almond extract in baking, so I always opt for pure vanilla ahead. You can use either, as you like.
Recipe tips!
- I garnished my cake with some fresh cranberries and a few sprigs of rosemary. I would suggest not leaving the rosemary in the cake if it will be sitting on the counter for a bit, as the flavour of the rosemary will transfer to the cake.
- You can change this one up a bit flavour wise by using orange zest and juice instead of the lemon.
Variations
Change it up! You can use any nut for the topping, such as substituting chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts if you like. For a nut-free version, omit the nuts altogether and use large flake rolled oats instead.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
Since it is so moist, this cake will keep well stored covered on the counter top for several days, so it can be ready for any time or for any one who drops in.
This cake would also freeze well for several months, if you want to bake it ahead or preserve leftovers.
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Get the Recipe: Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Almond Topping:
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- Pinch cinnamon
- Pinch salt, omit if using salted butter
- 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup flaked almonds
For Cake:
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, less if you used salted butter
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup sour cream, full fat recommended, or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
For garnish:
- 1 Tbsp confectioners/icing sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Almond Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir until moistened and clumpy. Pour in the flaked almonds and with fingers, mix together until crumbly. Place bowl in the fridge while you prepare the cake.
- Preheat oven to 375F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted). Grease and 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the almond extract (or vanilla) and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream and mix until well combined.
- With a spoon, gently stir 1 cup of the cranberries into the batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Scatter remaining 1/2 cup of cranberries over the top. Sprinkle almond topping over the top.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. *Using frozen cranberries will lengthen the baking time. **Check cake after about 40 minutes and if the top is browning too quickly, loosely lay a sheet of aluminum foil over-top for the last part of baking.
- Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside and remove the outer ring. Transfer cake to a cooling rack, sliding off the base of the pan (with the parchment) and onto the cooling rack. Let cool completely.
- Serve dusted with icing sugar.
Notes
More cranberry cake recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Delicious cranberry cake and and a new Christmas morning favorite.
I’m so pleased to hear, Pamela. Thanks so much!
This cake is amazing. I did not know how it would go with my family but everyone from 6 year old granddaughter to adults loved it
So glad to hear, Di! Thanks so much :)
Can I make the batter the night before, put it on the fridge, and bake it in the morning? I want to serve it for breakfast but the prep plus baking time would mean I’d have to get up awful early….
Hi Jenn, I have never tried that, but I’d be concerned a bit because of the baking soda, which starts to work right after mixing and might be depleted by morning. I’d be more inclined to baking it the night before, as it will be quite fine by the morning, as it is a moist cake.
Absolutely fabulous! Made it ahead and froze it for Christmas morning! Everyone loved it…perfect blend of tart and sweet and crunch! Thank you
So glad you all enjoyed it, Cynthia! Thanks so much :)