Lovely moist cranberry cake, with streusel in the middle and on top of the cake. Lightly sweet and perfect any time of day!

cranberry cake on cutting board

With fresh cranberries still plentiful at the markets, it is a great time to bake up cranberry cake!

This cranberry streusel cake is topped with cranberries and has streusel both in the middle of the cake and on top. As this cake is full of fruit and lightly sweet, it’s perfect to enjoy any time of day.

Ingredient Notes

Cranberries: You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this cake. If starting with frozen, thaw and pat dry before adding to cake.

Sour Cream: I always use full-fat sour cream when specified. I don’t recommend a reduced-fat or no-fat sour cream in baking, as it doesn’t perform the same way in baking and can produce different results. If you want to use a lower fat product, I’d recommend a full-fat thick yogurt, which usually checks in at 3.5-5% butter fat, as opposed to the 14% sour cream.

Butter: I haven’t specified salted or unsalted butter here. You can use either. I generally use unsalted myself. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt by a bit.

Cook’s Notes

This cake is also great baked as a 9×13-inch sheet cake, if you’d prefer that shape. The thinner 9×13 cake will bake more quickly – somewhere around 1 hour. Watch closely and test regularly after about 50 minutes of baking.

I baked my round cake in a 9-inch springform pan. If you don’t have that size, move up to a 10-inch springform. An 8-inch springform would be too small, I think. Expect a slightly reduced baking time if using a 10-inch pan.

If you have a black or very dark springform pan, consider lowering the oven temperature by up to 25 degrees F, as the darker pan will cook more quickly. Baking time will be close to that stated, even when lowering the temperature.

In all cases, watch closely and test often. Difference in pans and ovens can affect the amount of time it will take to bake in your oven. Test in several spots in the centre of the cake to be sure it’s cooked right to the centre.

cranberry cake on cutting board

cranberry streusel cake sliced

Get the Recipe: Cranberry Streusel Cake

A lovely, moist cranberry cake, with a layer of streusel in the middle and on top.
5 stars from 7 ratings
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Yield: 14 servings

Ingredients

Streusel:

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

Cake:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt, reduce slightly if using salted butter
  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

For Garnish:

  • Icing/Confectioners' Sugar, for dusting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
  • Make the streusel: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the butter and blend into dry ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.
  • Make the cake: 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 the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine well.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternately with the sour cream (add 1/3 flour mixture, then 1/2 sour cream, then 1/3 flour mixture, then remainder of sour cream, then remainder of flour mixture). Stir in cranberries.
  • Spread 1/2 of the batter into prepared pan. Cover with 1/2 of the streusel mixture. Top with remaining batter and top with remaining streusel.
  • Bake at 350F for 65-75 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Notes

This cake can also be made in a 9x13-inch pan. Bake the 9x13 for about 1 hour.
Be sure to read the “Ingredient and Cook's Notes" (above the recipe card!), where I share more detailed  tips, variations and substitution suggestions for this recipe!
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Dessert
Author: Jennifer
Calories: 317kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 58mg, Sodium: 275mg, Potassium: 112mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 449IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg
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