This cranberry orange Bundt cake is buttery, moist, and full of bright citrus flavor from fresh orange zest and juice. Dried cranberries add little bursts of tart flavor in every slice without weighing down the batter. Finished with a simple orange glaze that drizzles into the grooves, it’s an easy cake that looks impressive but couldn’t be simpler to make.

*A buttery cranberry orange Bundt cake filled with dried cranberries and topped with a bright orange glaze.*

Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake With A Pound Cake Crumb

Cranberry and orange are one of those flavor combinations that just work. The bright citrus brings out the tartness of the cranberries, and together they make a cake that tastes amazing. This Bundt cake has a rich, buttery crumb, similar to a pound cake, thanks to plenty of butter and sour cream, and the dried cranberries give you a pop of flavor in every slice.

An simple orange glaze finishes it off and drips down into all the grooves. That orange zest and dried cranberry combo is one I come back to a lot. It’s the same flavor base I use in crispy cranberry orange cookies.

I love the flavor and tartness that cranberries add, but fresh cranberries are impossible to find except during the Christmas season. Dried cranberries can really add that boost to baked goods, I love them in shortbread cookies, but adding them to a cake was a challenge.

Most cranberry cakes have fresh cranberries which add moisture. So for this cake, I had to adjust the batter. The first version, tasted great but was a little dry. I ended up adding juice from the orange along with a bit more sour cream. The result was a cake with a texture similar to a pound cake with lots of moisture and just the right amount of tartness.

Orange zest is doing most of the work here, so don’t skip it. While the juice adds a little brightness, most of the flavor comes form the zest. If you enjoy baking with citrus, you might also like this lemon crinkle cookie recipe, which has the same bright flavor from fresh zest and juice.

For a clean release, prep the pan like you mean it. Butter and flour every crevice, then let the cake rest in the pan for a few minutes after baking before you invert it. Wait until the cake is completely cool to glaze. Otherwise, it’ll slide right off and puddle at the bottom.

You’ll Need Flour, Citrus, and Cranberries

You’ll find exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Cake flour: This keeps the crumb tender, even though the cake is pound-cake-ish. If you only have all-purpose flour, it will still work.
Orange zest: Zest carries most of the orange flavor. Use a microplane to zest it so you don’t get the bitter white part.

Make Cranberry Orange Cake in a Bundt Pan

Step One: Make the Batter

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Step Two: Bake And Rest

Unmolding timing: A short rest helps it release, but don’t let it sit in the pan too long.

Step Three: Mix And Drizzle The Glaze

If you like the bright flavor of cranberry and orange together, similar to cranberry dessert bars, this Bundt cake is an easy one to add to your baking list. The dried cranberries give you a pop of tartness in every slice, and the orange glaze adds just enough sweetness without covering up the citrus flavor. It’s the kind of cake that works just as well for a holiday dessert as it does with a cup of coffee in the afternoon.

A collage of desserts in a block promoting baking equipment.

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Close-up of the glazed cranberry orange bundt cake with dried cranberries scattered on top.

Buttery Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake with Dried Cranberries

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 55

Total Time: 1 25

Servings:

Calories: 459kcal

Author: Barbara Curry

Equipment

Bundt pan

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
6 eggs room temp
3 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ tablespoons baking powder
1 cup sour cream room temp
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons orange zest
¼ cup orange juice
2 cups dried cranberries

Orange Glaze

1 tablespoon butter softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
¼ teaspoon vanilla
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter and flour a bundt pan.
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of orange zest and mix well to combine. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and orange juice and mix until well combined.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder and add to the butter mixture. Mixing just until combined. Mix in the cranberries.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Bake until a toothpick comes out mostly clean, with just a few crumbs, 53-55 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and allow to cool at room temperature before frosting.

Glaze:

In a medium bowl combine butter and powdered sugar and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest and mix well. Add cream, orange juice, vanilla and salt and beat until it is smooth and creamy. Drizzle over the cooled cake.