Cranberry Almond Cake
This simple cake is scented with lemon zest and almond extract, studded with fresh cranberries, and dressed in a beautiful cranberry glaze.
Servings: 10
Equipment
- 9x5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
Cranberry Almond Cake
- 4 ounces unsalted butter soft
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries chopped
Cranberry Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cranberry juice
Instructions
For the cranberry cake:
- Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom and long sides of the pan with parchment paper for easier removal after baking.
- Cream the butter until smooth and silky.
- In a small bowl, combine lemon zest and sugar. Stir for a few minutes, until lemon releases its natural oils. The sugar will become sticky and fragrant.
- Add lemon sugar to butter and beat until thoroughly mixed.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated.
- Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) together in a medium bowl. Combine milk, lemon juice, and extracts in a separate container.
- Add about 1/3 of flour mixture to butter mixture; blend. Add about 1/3 of milk mixture and mix until nearly incorporated. Continue alternating dry ingredients and milk until everything is just blended.
- Fold in chopped cranberries.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes.
- Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. While still just slightly warm, invert cake onto a cooling rack. Allow to finish cooling completely.
For the cranberry glaze:
- Whisk powdered sugar and cranberry juice together thoroughly.
- Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Slice and serve!