This Buttermilk Cranberry Cake is filled with plump cranberries in a moist and tender buttermilk cake. Perfect for a light breakfast or simple dessert on any holiday table.
A much simpler version of my Cranberry Orange Almond Cake and is buttery, fluffy, and filled with juicy cranberries!
If you’re looking for an easy cranberry dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas, this is it. It’s light and fluffy from the buttermilk, and a little bit of lemon to make the cranberry flavor pop!
Buttermilk Cranberry Cake
When it comes to cranberry breakfast cake, fresh or frozen cranberries are best. If you only have dried cranberries, I’ll walk you through the process of how to rehydrate them.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to whip up this tasty Buttermilk Cranberry Cake recipe. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Butter – salted
- Sugar – white granulated
- Vanilla
- Egg
- Milk – whole
- Lemon
- Flour – all purpose
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Fresh Cranberries – you can use frozen if thawed, or rehydrate them if dried.
How To Make Buttermilk Cranberry Cake
The best thing about this cranberry buttermilk cake is that it comes together quickly and can be prepared ahead!
MAKE BUTTERMILK
In a small bowl, measure out the milk and add in juice from half a lemon, about 2 Tablespoons. Let sit 5-10 minutes until the milk curdles. Set aside.
MIX BUTTER AND SUGAR
Start by mixing melted butter, white granulated sugar, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl.
ADD EGG AND BUTTERMILK
Add in the egg and whisk well for 1-2 minutes. This will help dissolve the sugar and make the texture nice and smooth.
Next, pour in the buttermilk and whisk into the mixture.
ADD DRY INGREDIENTS
Add in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix with a spoon until a batter forms.
PRO TIP: Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Mix just until all of the flour pockets are gone to keep the cake nice and fluffy. Over-mixing can cause the cake to be chewier.
ADD CRANBERRIES
Last of all, add the cranberries and fold into the batter gently to prevent over-mixing. Transfer to a 9×9 baking dish, spread smooth, and sprinkle sugar over the top of the cake.
BAKE
Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes if using a metal or dark pan.
If using a glass or ceramic pan or an 8×8 baking dish, baking times will vary and may take up to 50 minutes. Add 5 minutes at a time until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Can I use Dried or Frozen Cranberries?
Yes! If using frozen, thaw completely and drain before using to prevent raw pockets in the cake when baked.
If using dried, you’ll need to rehydrate the cranberries.
How To Rehydrate Dried Cranberries
Here’s a super simple way to rehydrate dried cranberries to use in this recipe.
- Measure out the desired amount of dried cranberries into a heat-safe mixing bowl. 3/4 cup dried cranberries would equal about 1 cup fresh cranberries in a recipe.
- Pour boiling water over dried cranberries until covered.
- Let sit for 15-20 minutes and drain before using in the recipe.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- You can use regular buttermilk in this recipe in place of whole milk. But don’t skip the lemon; just add the juice to the batter. The extra zing is worth it!
- You can use raw sugar or turbinado sugar sprinkled over the top of the cake for a little more texture. It’s amazing!
- Swap out an orange for the lemon for an orange-cranberry combo.
Can This Cake Be Made Ahead?
Yes! Here’s how to make cranberry breakfast cake ahead. It’s so easy!
- Prepare the recipe as directed, but do not bake.
- Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Rest at room temperature while the oven preheats.
- Bake as directed; add 5-10 minutes to the baking time since the cake was refrigerated and the batter cold.
More Cranberry Recipes
Need a few more easy cranberry recipes? Here are a few to try…
- Cranberry Banana Bread Recipe
- Amazing Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins
- Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels
Whether you’re making this Buttermilk Cranberry Cake for a delicious Thanksgiving breakfast or dessert, I’m sure you’ll love it!
Buttermilk Cranberry Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (½ lemon)
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2 Tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan. Zest the lemon before using.
- In a small bowl combine milk and lemon juice. Set aside and let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract and mix well. Add in egg and whisk for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Add buttermilk to the mixture and whisk together.
- Add in the flour, salt, and baking soda and mix together until batter forms and flour pockets are gone. Fold in cranberries gently, careful not to overmix.
- Transfer to prepared baking pan, spread batter evenly and sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons of sugar on top. Bake on a middle rack for 35-45 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle the lemon zest on top. Cool for 10 minutes, slice and serve. Enjoy!
Cheesy Pork and Rice Skillet
Glenda Price
I have made this cake twice now, we love, love, love this cake – however both times that I made this cake I had a problem with the center of the cake not cooking – I did test the center with a toothpick this last time and I thought I had it right after baking an extra 10 min. but after the cake cooled the center collapsed and I had to cut that part out again. Any idea what is causing this? The cake was nice and brown on top, in fact covered it with foil the last 10 min of baking.
Ann King
Can this be frozen?
Belinda Wolfe
In the Recipe Tips and Variations it says “Swap out an orange for the lemon for an orange-cranberry combo”. Does that mean swap out orange juice for lemon JUICE or orange zest for lemon ZEST or BOTH? I swapped out the lemon juice for the orange juice but the milk did not curdle so I added lemon juice too. The milk curdled but the cake did not have an orange flavor.
Kris Driessen
Did you know that your printed recipe doesn’t include the flour?
El Kin
before there was no flour listed and I gave one star but now that I have the correct 2 cup listing I’ll tell you this is surely a 5 STAR in my book. We loved it. First time I just estimated and gave 1 cup of flour, it tasted good but was kind of sticky – too moist.
The flavors are delicious! I’ll be making this again and again
Jackie Hall
How much flour? Can I use store bought butter milk?
Ellie K
i used the list of ingredients and got half of it mixed only to realize that you don’t have FLOUR listed as an ingredient!
Not until I got to step 5 did I realize no flour listed. I added one cup of flour and am hoping for the best, it’s in the oven now
PLEASE FIX THIS SO OTHERS DON’T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM
Debster
The title says Buttermilk cranberry cake but in the directions it say 1/2 cup whole milk. Where’s the buttermilk?
Roseanne
Milk and vinegar mixed together creates buttermilk
April
The combination of milk and lemon juice creates buttermilk.
Or you can use store bought buttermilk if you have some .
Vickie
Can this be doubled and use a 9×13 pan?
Barb Nolan
To make buttermilk, I don’t see vinegar listed in the ingredients. I understand that vinegar & milk will create buttermilk, but how much vinegar? Thank you.
Barb Nolan blnolan3@comcast.net 12-9-2022