Cranberry Orange Cake with Amaretto Glaze

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 dessert flavor combination - one that's especially popular during the holiday season. (My Pecan-Cranberry Orange Cookies are further evidence of this.)

Add a little almond flavor and put it all in a buttery, soft cake, and watch out!

It would be a lovely centerpiece on the dessert table for Christmas, or any winter holiday party.

And while I'm pitching it to you as a celebration cake, it would also certainly be delicious with coffee or tea for brunch or an afternoon snack.

Some Ingredients Notes

• 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 - This adds moisture and a a very subtle tangy flavor to the cake.
• pure vanilla extract - I like this one.
• amaretto - Amaretto is an almond liqueur (Disaronno Originale is a good one.)
• almond extract - The extract, along with the Amaretto, really bring this cake to another level.
• 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.)
• 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.
• orange zest and orange juice - Don't forget wash the orange first and zest before you juice.

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.

- Chop the cranberries and then mix them with the powdered sugar, then fold them into the cake 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 drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, in any pattern you’d like.

- Let it sit until it’s set, about 10 minutes.

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.

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

• Chai Apple Bundt Cake
• Easy Eggnog Bundt Cake
• Chocolate Olive Oil Bundt Cake (Gluten-Free)

I really, really think you're going to flip for this Cranberry Orange Cake with Amaretto Glaze. It's impossible not to!

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