Orange Cranberry Cake

Two layers of sweet orange and tart cranberry flavors topped with cream cheese frosting make this orange cranberry cake an excellent choice for the holiday season.

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Table of Contents

Orange Cranberry Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Orange Cranberry Cake Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
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This orange cranberry cake’s vibrant and rich colors are stunning, and it tastes divine too! Two moist layers flavored with orange and bursting with pops of color from the bright red tart cranberries, topped with frosting, make this a centerpiece you’ll surely want to add to your fall table.

Orange Cranberry Cake Ingredients

Orange Cranberry Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

For The Cake Layers:

2 whole oranges for the zest and fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
1½ cups of dried cranberries OR fresh cranberries, washed/dried and cut into halves
1 (15.25-ounce) box of white cake mix
½ cup of vegetable oil
½ cup of water
½ cup of orange juice
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons of orange zest
1 cup of chopped walnuts

For The Frosting:

8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
½ cup of salted sweet cream butter, softened
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
2 teaspoons of orange zest
2½ cups of powdered sugar
¼ cup of finely chopped walnuts as an optional garnish

Substitutions And Additions

CRANBERRIES: You can use frozen cranberries. Allow them to completely thaw, rinse and dry them before cutting them in half.

You can also use dried cranberries if you can’t get your hands on fresh or frozen ones at the grocery store.

ORANGE: If a much stronger orange flavor is wanted in this cranberry orange cake, simply replace the ½ cup water and ½ cup orange juice with 1 cup juice.

TOPPINGS: You can also garnish the top of your orange-cranberry cake with thin slices of fresh orange or candied orange slices and sugared cranberries.

How To Make This Orange Cranberry Cake Recipe

For The Cake Layers

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with Baker’s Joy or a generic version.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Using cake strips around the cake pans can help ensure the cake layers bake level.

STEP TWO: Using a fruit zester, zest 2 oranges. Once you have the zest, cut 1 orange in half and squeeze for the orange juice. Set it aside.

STEP THREE: In a small bowl, sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour over the cranberries, and stir to coat. Set it aside.

PRO TIP:

Coating the cranberries in flour will help keep them suspended in the cake batter and not sink to the bottom.

flour sprinkled into a bowl of cranberries

STEP FOUR: Using a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat the cake mix, vegetable oil, water, orange juice, eggs, and orange zest just until the ingredients are well combined.

STEP FIVE: Fold in the coated cranberries and walnuts.

cranberries and walnuts being folded into a bowl of cake batter

STEP SIX: Evenly divide the cake batter into the prepared cake pans.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For The Frosting

STEP ONE: Using a medium bowl and a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract for 1 minute.

PRO TIP:

Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.

STEP TWO: Lower the mixer speed to low speed, and add the orange zest, heavy cream, and powdered sugar.

Increase speed to medium, and mix for another 1 to 1½ minutes until the frosting is smooth.

ingredients being whisked together in a bowl

For The Cake Assembly

STEP ONE: Remove the bottom layer of cake from its pan and place it on a serving plate.

Using a silicone spatula, or an offset spatula, evenly spread a layer of frosting onto the cake.

STEP TWO: Remove the top layer of cake from its pan and evenly spread a thicker layer of icing on top, and then spread the frosting around the sides of the cake, smoothing as you frost.

STEP THREE: Once the cake is frosted, you can evenly sprinkle the finely chopped walnuts on top of the cake. (This is an optional decoration.)

How To Serve

This easy cranberry orange cake would be the perfect Christmas dessert or to finish off your Thanksgiving meal.

The rich holiday flavors would be an ideal finish to a festive meal. Pair it with pumpkin pie or pumpkin cupcakes for even more autumn deliciousness.

For more delightful layer cakes, try our cherry chip cake and hummingbird cake recipes.

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Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of this moist orange cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

IN THE FREEZER: The unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Wrap the cooled cakes in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before placing them in the freezer. Allow the layers to come to room temperature before frosting the layers.

close up shot of a Orange Cranberry Cake garnished with chopped walnuts on a cake stand

This holiday season will be even brighter with this gorgeous cake. The tangy cranberry flavor mixed with the sweet orange flavor will bring warm and cozy cheer this time of year. I guarantee your family will love this delectable orange cranberry cake.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I freeze this cake?

You can freeze this cake for up to three months, but it is a good idea to freeze it before being frosted.

Could I make this cake as a single layer in a 9×13-inch pan?

This perfect recipe could be turned into a rectangular cake if you’d like. You may end up with extra batter and will have to adjust the baking time, but we think this cake would be delicious in any shape.

Can I use store-bought icing?

If you need to save time, you could use a store-bought cream cheese frosting and mix in the orange zest to add a bit of citrus flavor.

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Orange Cranberry Cake

5 from 1 vote

Two layers of sweet orange and tart cranberry flavors topped with cream cheese frosting make this orange cranberry cake an excellent choice for the holiday season.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 40

Servings

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Ingredients

Cake

2 whole oranges, for the zest and fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1½ cups dried cranberries or fresh cranberries, washed/dried and cut into halves
15.25 ounces white cake mix
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
½ cup orange juice
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions

Cake Layers

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two (8-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with Baker’s Joy or a generic version.
Using a fruit zester, zest 2 oranges. Once you have the zest, cut 1 orange in half and squeeze for the orange juice. Set it aside.
In a small mixing bowl, sprinkle the 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour over the cranberries, and stir to coat. Set it aside.
Using a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat the cake mix, vegetable oil, water, orange juice, eggs, and orange zest just until the ingredients are well combined.
Fold in the coated cranberries and walnuts.
Evenly divide the cake batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cakes to completely cool.

Frosting

Using a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract for 1 minute.
Lower the mixer speed to low, and add the orange zest, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for another 1 to 1½ minutes until the frosting is smooth.

Cake Assembly

Remove the bottom layer cake from it’s pan and place it on a serving plate. Using a silicone spatula, or an offset spatula, evenly spread a layer of frosting onto the cake.
Remove the top layer cake from it’s pan and evenly spread a thicker layer of icing on top, and then spread the frosting around the sides of the cake, smoothing as you frost.
Once the cake is frosted, you can evenly sprinkle the finely chopped walnuts on top of the cake. This is an optional decoration.

Notes

Using cake strips around the cake pans can help ensure the cake layers bake level.
Coating the cranberries in flour will help keep them suspended in the cake batter and not sink to the bottom.
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant
Teresia Shrum Recipe Developer

Orange Cranberry Cake

Orange Cranberry Cake Ingredients

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How To Make This Orange Cranberry Cake Recipe

How To Serve

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Storage

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