Cranberry Orange Cake with Amaretto Glaze is a gluten-free bundt cake that's scrumptious beyond words. The tart cranberries, tangy orange and subtle almond flavor combine to create a masterpiece.
Cranberry and orange is a delicious classic dessert flavor combination -- one that's especially popular during the holiday season.
Add a little almond flavor and put it all in a buttery, soft cake, and watch out!
It goes without saying, but I have to say it . . . this is a perfect holiday cake!
It would be a lovely centerpiece on the dessert table for Christmas, or any winter holiday party.
Cranberry Orange Cake would also be delicious served with coffee or tea for a brunch or luncheon.
The Ingredients
- unsalted butter - I bake (and cook) with unsalted butter so I can better control how much salt goes in a recipe.
- gluten-free all-purpose flour - My favorite is Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Multi Purpose Flour.
- sour cream
- granulated sugar
- pure vanilla extract - I like this one.
- almond extract
- Kosher salt - I bake (and cook) with Kosher salt because I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)
- eggs
- baking powder - – If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking powder is still good. To do so, pour a couple of tablespoons of boiling water over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking powder. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
- fresh cranberries - During the fall and winter seasons, fresh cranberries should be available in the produce section of most markets. If it's off season, they'll be in the freezer section.
- powdered sugar
- orange zest
- orange juice
- amaretto - Amaretto is an almond liqueur (Disaronno Originale is a good one.)
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour. This cake can also be made with regular all-purpose flour, if it doesn't matter to you if it's gluten-free. The measurements are the same.
- Orange zest and orange juice. The orange zest and juice can be substituted with lemon zest and juice. Still delicious, the flavor profile will change of course, and be more tart.
- Amaretto. If you don't want to use amaretto in the glaze, use 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract instead.
Important Recipe Tips
1. It’s very important the butter is softened before you begin. If it hasn’t been sitting out, you can soften it in a microwave. Do this by setting it to just a few seconds at a time, because you don’t want any of it to melt.
2. I really love the shape of the bundt pan I used for the cake in the photos. In my experience though, it's trickier for the cake to release in this shape — even if it’s non-stick, and when it’s well greased. The smoother, more traditional bundt pans are easier.
3. The best way to grease a bundt pan (and most cake pans), is to use both grease and flour. Here’s How to do this.
4. When you pour the glaze over the cake, some of it will drip onto the sheet pan. Use a flat-bottomed metal spatula to scoop it up and add it back to the cake. (There will always be some left in the sheet pan, even after doing this.)
5. The amaretto glaze has a lot more powdered sugar than it does liquid. These proportions might seem off at first, but I promise if you whisk for a moment or two, it will come together beautifully.
6. This cake is pretty and festive with a few garnishes: finely chopped almonds, orange zest, and fresh, raw cranberries to fill the center. However, it will be every bit as delicious without them.
How to Make it
- Preheat oven to 350°F and use 1 tablespoon of the butter to grease a 10-inch Bundt pan. Be sure the butter reaches deep into the crevices of the pan, and that it goes all the way up the sides and center. Then add the 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan and shake it gently to coat the butter with the flour.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the remaining cup of butter with the sour cream, sugar, vanilla, almond and salt. Beat on high until smooth and light, about 2 minutes. Add the the eggs, two at a time, and beat on a medium speed until they’re fully incorporated.
- On a low speed, gradually add the remaining 2 cups of flour and baking powder, and mix only until combined. In a small bowl, mix the chopped cranberries with the powdered sugar, then fold them into the batter, along with the orange zest and orange juice.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and use a small spatula to evenly spread the top surface.
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the top is golden, beginning to crack, and it no longer jiggles — about 1 hour and 5 minutes.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
- Then invert it onto a baking rack. Place the rack with the cake on a sheet pan and let it cool completely.
For the glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with the amaretto and orange juice until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Once the cake has cooled completely, slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake, in any pattern you’d like.
- Let it sit until it’s set, about 10 minutes.
Can you make it ahead?
- Wrapped well, without the glaze it can be kept at room temperature for two days. (Glaze it at least a couple hours before serving.)
- If you have leftovers (unlikely), the cake should be refrigerated by the third day and will still be good for a a few days after that.
- You can also freeze it, wrapped well for a few weeks. I would only suggest this for leftovers, though.
Other Beautiful Bundt Cake Recipes
I really, really think you're going to flip for this Cranberry Orange Cake with Amaretto Glaze. It's impossible not to!
Cranberry Orange Cake with Amaretto Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons gluten-free 1 to 1 all purpose flour
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons almond extract
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ cups raw, fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- ¼ cup orange juice
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon amaretto - almond liqueur (Disaronno Originale is a good one)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon orange juice
Instructions
For the cake
- Set the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat oven to 350°F and use 1 tablespoon of the butter to grease a 10-inch Bundt pan. Be sure the butter reaches deep into the crevices of the pan, and that it goes all the way up the sides and center. Then add the 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan and shake it gently to coat the butter with the flour.
- Make the batter. Use an electric mixer to beat the remaining cup of butter with the sour cream, sugar, vanilla, almond and salt. Beat on high until smooth and light, about 2 minutes.Add the the eggs, two at a time, and beat on a medium speed until they’re fully incorporated. On a low speed, gradually add the remaining 2 cups of flour and baking powder, and mix only until combined. In a small bowl, mix the chopped cranberries with the powdered sugar, then fold them into the batter, along with the orange zest and orange juice.
- Add batter to pan. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and use a small spatula to evenly spread the top surface.
- Bake. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the top is golden, beginning to crack, and it no longer jiggles — about 1 hour and 5 minutes.
- Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then invert it onto a baking rack. Place the rack with the cake on a sheet pan and let it cool completely.
For the glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with the amaretto and orange juice until smooth. It should be thick but pourable.Once the cake has cooled completely, slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake, in any pattern you’d like. Let it sit until it’s set, about 10 minutes.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Jeff the Chef
It's funny how I resonate with this post. Cranberries, of course. They're currently in season, and in every store. Oranges are in season, too ... but it's harder to notice, since they're available year round. But I've had orange cake on the brain for weeks!
Marissa
I'm with Angie and David about the amaretto glaze - somehow it just makes this already stunning cake even better! Such a festive dessert for the holidays!
Sylvia Crane
Love the cake concept and wish to make with regular flour, not gluten free , however do not understand the explanation in red ink that says 1 to 1 for regular flour does that mean you use only one cup of flour plus 1 spoon more ? Please clarify as I do not want to ruin the recipe.
Thank you
valentina
Hi Sylvia. You would use exactly the same measurement. 2 cups in the cake and a few tablespoon (more or less) to help grease the pan. Thanks for writing in and I hope you love this cake as much as I do! 🙂 ~Valentina
Laura
You are truly, truly amazing!
valentina
Thank you so much! 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
Such a great seasonal recipe! Cranberries and oranges play SO well together. Neat idea for the glaze, too -- the amaretto sounds terrific. Thanks!
valentina
Thanks, John! Yes, lovely for the season. Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Melissa Bauer
I cannot wait to make this! It looks amazing!
Valentina
Thanks so much, Melissa. Hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Valentina
Thanks so much, Melissa. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
I have a Bundt pan with the same design, but it’s much smaller. I wish I had the large version! However, my regular Bundt pan will suffice to make this beautiful cake. The funniest thing? I have never thought to look at the inside of a cranberry! I’ve always used them whole. They’re quite pretty well cut in half, aren’t they? And that amaretto glaze? That will come in handy for several different cakes I like.
valentina
Yes, the cranberries are so interesting on the inside -- not one bit juicy. I bet the smaller version of this pan makes cute/pretty cakes, too! Thanks so much, David, and enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kelly | Foodtasia
Valentina, such a beautiful and festive cake! Orange and cranberry is a wonderful combination and so perfect for the season. Your bundt pan makes a stunning cake - my favorite style!
valentina
Thanks, Kelly. I've had my eye on this pan for years and finally got one. Happy holiday season. 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz
Wow, what a festive, moist and delicious cake! So beautiful, too!! I'd love a big slice for breakfast---so I'm a little relieved this is not in my kitchen until I have someone to share it with! Enjoy your weekend!
valentina
Ha! I totally get it, Liz. I LOVE cake and/or cookies for breakfast with coffee. YUM! Thanks for visiting. 🙂 ~Valentiana
Roz
Thank you for including this recipe in your latest newsletter (December 24, 2020). I'm fanatical about cranberry recipes and will certainly file this in my "Must Make" folder to prepare soon or for sure next fall/winter for the holidays.
Wishing you a beautiful holiday season too,
Roz
La Bella Vita Cucina blog
valentina
Hi Roz, Thank you so much for writing in. I hope you love this one as much as my family and i do. So great you keep a "must make" folder! Love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Irene
Hi, Valentina! Sounds like such an awesome recipe! Question: you say that any gluten flour is OK? Can I use coconut flour in this recipe? Any change to other ingredients in that case?
Valentina
Hi Irene. Thanks for writing in. Sorry if it's somehow unclear -- if you don't use the all-purpose gluten-free flour, a regular non-gluten-free all-purpose flour is okay. You can't entirely replace either one with coconut flour because it works differently. You can however (with either gluten-free AP or regular AP), use some of it. Coconut flour absorbs much more moisture than other flours. Figuring out how much to use is tricky without testing, so I can't guarantee this will work, but my best guess is that you can use a combination of 1 1/4 cups all-purpose and 1/3 to 1/2 cup of coconut flour. (The total amount of flour is less because you don't need as much of the AP when you add coconut flour). I hope this makes sense. I hope you love the cake! 🙂 ~Valentina
Irene
Thanks very much, Valentina! It does make sense about the coconut flour - in my experience in the past I saw that it absorbed much more moisture... Sorry I misunderstood your directions at first - I see it now :). Thanks for the advice! I will let you know how it comes out!... It does look gorgeous and inviting!
mimi rippee
Absolutely beautiful! Makes me wish I baked!
Valentina
Someone will just have to bake it for you. 😉 Thanks, Mimi. ~Valentina
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I have all the ingredients to bake this cake except the juice. I'll be remedying that soon.