Apple Cranberry Cake

This simple apple cranberry cake is made from scratch with fresh cranberries, apples, and pantry staples. With just 20 minutes of prep time and 45 minutes of baking (with minimal hands-on effort), it’s the perfect Christmas cake! Serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar, whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It can easily be modified to be gluten-free and dairy-free!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple cranberry cake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 298kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour or baking flour, sifted or aerated (see note below)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
4 oz salted butter melted (½ cup)
2 large eggs
1 cup plain Greek yogurt low-fat
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 large apple (peeled and cored) - choose sweet, firm apples like Fuji, Gala, Envy, or Honeycrisp.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). If your oven has a convection setting, use a convection bake setting. Line the bottom of the 9x3-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides and the bottom of the springform pan with butter or cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, melted butter, and eggs, and beat using a whisk for about 1 or 2 minutes until the mixture turns light in color, smooth (not grainy), and fluffy.
Mix in Greek yogurt and vanilla extract, and whisk just until combined.
Add the flour mixture gradually, whisking 1 cup of flour at a time with the wet ingredients until combined. Do not over-mix.
Fold in 1 cup of fresh cranberries into the batter.
Pour the cake batter into the parchment paper-lined springform pan. Arrange thinly sliced apple slices in a circular pattern on top, with the remaining 1 cup of cranberries placed between.
Place the springform pan with the cake batter on the middle rack—especially in non-convection ovens. Bake for about 45–50 minutes, or until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If not done, continue baking in 5-minute increments, checking each time. I used a convection setting and baked for exactly 45 minutes at 350°F, resulting in a fully baked, nicely browned cake. In a regular oven, it may take a bit longer, about 1 hour at 350°F.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the springform pan on a wire rack. After about 30 minutes, release the cake from the pan. Once it's cool enough, you can carefully slide your hand or a large spatula under the cake, between the parchment paper and the cake, and transfer it onto a cake plate, discarding the parchment paper.
When serving, dust with powdered sugar.
I provide helpful step-by-step photos above the recipe card (scroll up).

Notes

How to measure flour correctly with cups:

To measure flour properly using measuring cups, first sift or aerate the flour by fluffing it up and whisking it. Then, spoon the flour into the measuring cup, avoiding scooping directly from the bag. Once filled, use a knife to level off any excess. If you simply scoop the flour from the bag, you'll end up with more flour than the recipe requires, which can lead to a dry cake batter. Be sure to aerate the flour to get the right consistency!

What baking pans can you use?

I used a 9x3-inch round springform pan, lining the bottom with parchment paper for a cleaner release.
You can also use a 9x13-inch rectangular baking pan—grease the pan, pour the cake batter in, and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For muffins or cupcakes, use a 12-cup muffin pan. Fold all 2 cups of cranberries and sliced apples into the batter and fill the muffin cups about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
A 10-inch or 12-inch round high-sided cast-iron skillet will give you crispy, golden-brown edges with a soft and moist center.

Other notes

Make it gluten-free. This recipe has been tested with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, and you can also use King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure flour. If using these flours, you may need to add an additional ¼ cup of Greek yogurt if the batter is too thick.
Greek yogurt can be substituted with plain kefir, regular yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream. However, I highly recommend using plain kefir or Greek yogurt for their light texture and pleasant tang.

Nutrition