Almond Cranberry Cake

Name: Almond Cranberry Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup flour (all purpose ); 1 cup granulated sugar; ¼ teaspoon salt; 2 cups cranberries (fresh); ½ cup walnuts (chopped); ½ cup unsalted butter (melted); 2 eggs (large); 1 teaspoon almond extract

This almond cranberry cake is a quick and easy dessert that is perfect for the holiday season. The sweet, almond-flavored cake complements the tartness of the cranberries. You can even bake this cake in your favorite cast-iron skillet for a delicious and eye-pleasing dessert. With only eight ingredients and one pan, this dessert is perfect for when you're running short on time but want to impress.

closeup of almond cranberry cake with cast-iron skillet in background

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One of my favorite ingredients that always comes out around the holiday season is fresh cranberries. These little berries are tart and packed with tons of flavor. I love to use them in baking to amp up the flavor profile of a dessert.

I love this cake because it combines two of my favorite ingredients: cranberries + almonds. When I'm not baking my cranberry orange bundt cake, this dessert is a go-to for Thanksgiving and Christmas functions.

Jump to:

Why you'll love this recipe
Key ingredients and why we use them
Frequently asked questions
Heather's helpful hint
Step-by-step instructions
Make ahead and storage tips
Recipe variations
Try these other cranberry recipes
Recipe
Comments

Why you'll love this recipe

Taste & Texture: The texture of this cake is somewhat dense and moist. It's very similar to my molasses cake (which is coincidentally also perfect for your next holiday gathering)! It's like a cross between a typical cake and a chewy brownie. The flavor profile is sweet and tart at the same time, accented by the almond extract. After cooling, the cake has a sugar-crusted topping which is delicious.

Level of Difficulty: This cake is a simple dump-cake recipe. You need less than ten ingredients and only two pans to make the entire thing. After mixing everything by hand, you pour the batter into your pan. There's no creaming or anything fancy, so I consider this recipe super easy-even for the novice baker.

almond cranberry cake slice with ice cream on top

Key ingredients and why we use them

Cranberries: Fresh cranberries give this recipe an excellent tart flavor profile. It's the perfect complement to the sweet cake. Feel free to tone down the tartness by using ¼ to ½ cup fewer cranberries in the batter.
Walnuts: This recipe calls for chopped walnuts, and I often buy them pre-chopped at the store for added convenience. Toasting your walnuts briefly in the oven will also add some flavor complexity to this recipe. If you're not a fan of walnuts, I've also substituted sliced almonds, which are delicious in this cake as well.
Almond Extract: This recipe calls for one teaspoon of almond extract, which gives the cake a robust almond flavor. For some people, this is a bit too strong. In this case, I recommend substituting ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract in the cake. It's all a personal preference.

Frequently asked questions

Can I substitute frozen cranberries for fresh cranberries?

You can use frozen cranberries in equal measure in most recipes. However, do not defrost frozen cranberries before adding them to the batter. Instead, take them out of the freezer and use them immediately. You may find that frozen cranberries "bleed" into the batter slightly. To avoid this, use a light hand while mixing and keep cranberries frozen until you need to incorporate them.

How do I wash and prepare my cranberries?

Fill your kitchen sink with 4-5 inches of cold water. Pour cranberries into the water and agitate them slightly with your hands. You will notice that some berries sink to the bottom and do not float. Discard these cranberries, as they are not fresh. Scoop the remaining cranberries into a colander and air dry or dry with a dishtowel or paper towel.

Can I bake a cake in a cast-iron skillet?

You can replace any 9-inch pie pan with a 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Typical glass pie pans can leave you with "hot spots" and an uneven crust. However, cast iron has superb heat conductivity and does a great job of ensuring even cooking. To bake using a cast iron, leave the oven temperature and cooking times the same.

Heather's helpful hint

If your cranberries are large, cut them into halves before adding them to your cake batter. This step will ensure you don't end up with pockets of under-baked cranberries in your cake.

Step-by-step instructions

The entire recipe is available below for you to print and save. But, before you get there, let's walk through it step-by-step, so you understand what you're doing beforehand.

Step 1) Start by combining your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and salt) in a large bowl. Next, add the fresh cranberries and chopped walnuts. Finally, stir to coat the cranberries thoroughly.

dry ingredients and cranberries in bowl with wooden spoon

Step 2) Mix the butter, eggs, and almond extract and pour into the large bowl with dry ingredients.

wet ingredients being poured into dry ingredients in a bowl

Step 3) Mix until just combined-the batter will be very thick at this point.

cake batter and cranberries mixed together in a bowl

Step 4) Spoon the batter into a 9-inch pie pan or cast-iron skillet.

cake batter being spooned into cast-iron skillet

Step 5) Using a spatula, smooth the batter into your pan.

almond cranberry cake batter smoother in cast iron skillet

Step 6) Bake your cake for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely, and enjoy!

Make ahead and storage tips

Make-Ahead: To prepare your dry ingredients in advance, mix them and store them in a labeled ziplock bag with instructions. Then, when you are ready to bake, pour the package into a bowl and add the wet ingredients before baking.

Storage: Cake leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for three months.

almond cranberry cake slice on a plate with fork

Recipe variations

There are several different ways to switch up this recipe according to your taste!

If you don't like cranberries, you can try this recipe with blueberries or cherries. If using tart cherries, reduce to 1 ½ cups and cut them in half before incorporating.
If you're not a fan of almond flavoring, make sure you substitute some vanilla extract in this recipe. For example, feel free to use only ¼ or ½ teaspoon of almond extract and vanilla extract for the remainder.
This gluten-free keto cranberry bliss pound cake also sounds like a deliciously healthy version of this dessert.

Try these other cranberry recipes

Did you make this recipe? First, let me say THANK YOU for giving it a try! Please leave us a rating and leave any feedback in the comments section at the bottom of this post. I always love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what went well - and what didn't - with a recipe! Also, be sure to check out some of our other recipes linked below!

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