Home Sweetly Home: Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze & Frosted Cranberries

The holidays are just around the corner and I am just finishing up with the last of my shopping and gift wrapping. Yay me! I can't believe that I am actually done and not scrambling last minute like usual.

My house is all decorated. The snow is covering the surrounding mountains and is headed our way. My fireplace runs most of the day. My home is filled with good tidings and cheer. Our Christmas cards are all filled out and ready to be delivered. I am totally in the Christmas spirit.

I am actually gettin a little bit of "me time" and I've been enjoying blogging, sewing, baking, and hanging out with my hubby.

One of my favorite things to do is bake up something delicious in my kitchen. Really, I enjoy doing that year round, but I especially love it durning the holiday season. I love the smell of something sweet and inviting throughout my home, and so does Alan. The smell of something baking in the oven as we sit around the fire and catch up on our day is just the best. Cranberry and orange is one of my very favorite holiday scents.

A couple nights ago I pulled out a recipe that I made and took to our company Christmas party years and years ago, it was a huge hit and everyone loved it. It's a bundt cake with the perfect mix of cranberries and oranges, topped with sweet, sugar coated cranberries, and a fresh orange glaze. So yummy and festive! The perfect dessert to serve during the holidays.

You can see how I made the Easy Sugar Frosted Cranberries here.

Here's what you'll need for the Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake...

Butter and flour a bundt cake pan well and sit aside.

Mix together the eggs, fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla. Sit aside.

Toss cranberries into flour and coat (so they will stay suspended in the cake batter while baking) and sit aside.

Using a stand mixer, add in the sugar, baking powder, salt and flour. On low, add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time until course crumbles are throughout. Turn speed up the mixer to medium and slowly add in the orange juice mixture.

Once combined, beat together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Gently fold in the flour coated cranberries.

Pour the batter into prepared bundt cake pan and smooth the top.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove the cake from oven and let cool 10 minutes on wire rack.

Remove from pan and let it cool completely.

Orange Glaze...

Whisk together
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cranberry simple syrup (see the frosted cranberry recipe)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon or enough until pourable consistency is achieved

Pour over cooled cake. This dries smooth and shiny and oh so pretty.

You can leave the cake as is or decorate it with some pretty frosted cranberries and rosemary. I of course love the look of the cranberries! It's just so pretty and festive!!

Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

4 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup fresh cranberries + 1/4 cup flour for coating
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 and 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, from temperature

Directions:

Butter and flour a bundt cake pan well and sit aside.
Mix together the eggs, fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla. Sit aside.
Toss cranberries into 1/4 cup flour and coat (so they will stay suspended in the cake batter while baking) and sit aside.
Using a stand mixer, add in the sugar, baking powder, salt and flour.
On low, add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time until course crumbles are throughout.
Turn up the speed to medium and slowly add in the orange juice mixture.
Beat together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Gently fold in the flour coated cranberries.
Pour the batter into prepared bundt cake pan and smooth the top.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on wire rack.
Remove the cake from pan and let it cool completely on wire rack.