Orange Cranberry Cake

Bring on all the cozy winter vibes with this orange cranberry cake. Featuring three layers of moist cake, a tart cranberry filling and an orange creamsicle buttercream frosting, this cake strikes just the right balance of tart and sweet.

This cake is giving us major cozy wintertime vibes.

From its melt-in-your-mouth orange cranberry layers of cake to its rosemary and sugared cranberry-bedazzled top, this orange creamsicle frosted cake is on repeat in our kitchen. All. Season. Long.

Ingredients

Below you'll find helpful hints and some of the baking science behind key ingredients. A full list with measurements can be found in the recipe card.

Orange cranberry cake

• Unsalted butter: Provides fat, moisture and buttery undertones. We'll be creaming it with the sugar in this recipe to create a fine, light crumb, so you'll want to be sure it's room temperature.
• Eggs: Provide stability and richness. Be sure they're room temperature to keep the batter from seizing.
• Orange zest: Rubbed in granulated sugar to release all its orangy flavor, zest is what packs the orange flavor into this cake. When zesting, be sure to only get the orange part of the peel.
• Orange juice: Freshly squeezed juice works best for this recipe. You'll need one large orange or two medium ones to get enough zest and juice.
• Baking powder: Because baking soda neutralizes the flavors of acids (like orange juice), we're using only baking powder to ensure that tangy orange flavor shines through and the cake doesn't become overly browned (another thing baking soda does).
• Sour cream: This is one of my favorite cake hacks as it adds moisture, a subtle tangy flavor and creates a tender, fine crumb.
• Milk: I use whole milk as it's what we tend to have on hand, but 2% or even 1% would produce a similarly good cake. I would avoid skim milk.
• Fresh cranberries: Wash and dry thoroughly before adding them to the batter.

Orange buttercream frosting + filling

• Cranberry compote: Store-bought or homemade both work well. Adds an extra burst of cranberry flavor. A little goes a long way with this cake.
• Orange zest and juice: Provide a subtle orange flavor to the frosting.
• Unsalted butter: Should be at room temperature for best results.
• Powdered sugar: Adds sweetness and makes for a silky smooth buttercream.
• Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle hint of vanilla flavor that makes this frosting taste reminiscent of an orange creamsicle ice cream bar.

Step-by-step instructions

Working ahead

The cake layers can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 3-5 days or frozen for up to three months. Frozen layers can be frosted but shouldn't be leveled or divided.

If you're using homemade cranberry compote, it can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to six months.

The frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or frozen for up to three months. Bring to room temperature and whip for a few minutes before using.

Serving suggestions

Temperature affects how our taste buds perceive food, which is why cold food tends to taste less sweet and flavorful. For this reason, I recommend serving this cake at room temperature (if you've refrigerated it for storage, an hour on the counter should be enough).

Storage

Once frosted, this cake should be kept in the refrigerator and is best when eaten within three days.

To protect the exposed part of a sliced cake, press a piece of plastic wrap or parchment into it.

More orange and cranberry desserts

Need a few more orange and cranberry desserts to round out your selection? Here are a few more favorites:

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I regularly update these posts and feedback from wonderful readers like you helps me improve them.