Cranberry Breakfast Cake

An over the top shot of cranberry cake in a cast iron skillet wrapped with a kitchen towel.

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5 from 5 votes

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast, Cake

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 343kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

1 ½ cups fresh cranberries rinsed and drained well (see Notes)
½ cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar divided
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- or 10-inch oven safe skillet or baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the cranberries and 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl and toss to coat well. Set aside.
In a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and beat until combined.
In a separate bowl, use a spoon to mix together the remaining 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk, beating with the electric mixer until combined. Use a wooden spoon to fold in the flour coated cranberries and mix lightly, just until combined. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top of the cake batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Frozen Cranberries - If using frozen cranberries there's no need to thaw them in advance. Just mix them directly into the cake batter and they will warm though as they bake.

Make-Ahead Tips

Bake Cranberry Breakfast Cake a day in advance and once cooled, cover it with plastic wrap and it will be ready to serve the next morning. Or, prepare the batter, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store it overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, just transfer the batter to the prepared skillet or baking dish and bake it as directed. You’ll need to increase the baking tie a bit if the batter is chilled when it goes in the oven so plan accordingly.

Garnish Ideas

For the festive, snow-like appearance, I use a dusting wand to sprinkle this cranberry with a small amount of powdered sugar. It’s also nice to top it with a small amount of chopped walnuts or pecans for pretty presentation and a little crunch.

Storage Tips

If you baked your cranberry cake in a cast iron skillet, I recommend that you transfer any leftovers to an airtight container for storage. This is the best practice in order to protect the seasoning on your cast iron skillet and for the taste and quality of any skillet recipe.

The cake will remain fresh and tasty if stored, covered at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, transfer it to the refrigerator and consume it within a week.

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