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Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Bright orange, tart cranberries, and cozy cinnamon all marry together so beautifully in this recipe!
Texture: Super soft and moist cake with pockets of tangy cranberry compote and a lightly crunchy cinnamon streusel topping.
Ease: A few steps and bowls involved, but each part is easy to make.
Why you’ll love this recipe: I love making this coffee cake ahead for Thanksgiving morning. The cranberry and orange flavors get even better by the next day, and there’s nothing like having breakfast ready to go when you wake up!
This Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake might just be my new go-to breakfast this fall.
While I’ve always enjoyed cranberry, and especially cranberry + orange, I don’t think I’ve fallen this completely in love with the Autumnal flavor combination until now!
The bright sweetness of the orange complements the tartness of the cranberries so beautifully, and the addition of cinnamon really levels up the coziness.
After 7 tests and tweaks to the recipe, my team and I finally nailed it. And wow. It’s soooo good!
This Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake will not only be a crowd-pleasing addition to any brunch or potluck, but I also think it’s perfect to make ahead for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day. It gets even better the next day as the flavors intensify!
Just baked this little gem of a coffee cake. It is so delicious! The perfect texture and the balance of orange and cranberry is perfect. I walked into another room while I was making the compote and the smell….. FANTASTIC. Will 10/10 make this again.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Frozen Cranberries: No need to thaw them before making the compote. This recipe was developed using frozen cranberries, but you can use fresh cranberries with a couple of small adjustments (see below).
Orange: You’ll use both the zest and juice. Zest the orange before juicing it, and save enough zest for the cake batter, too.
Cinnamon: Adds warm spice to the cranberry compote, cake, and streusel.
Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a hint of molasses flavor to the cake and streusel.
Unsalted Butter: Melted butter goes into the cake batter, while softened butter helps create the crumbly streusel topping.
Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream adds moisture, richness, and a slight tang to the cake. Use room-temperature sour cream so it blends evenly into the batter.
- Swap: Plain, full-fat yogurt works as a substitute.
Whole Milk: Helps loosen the batter and create a soft, tender cake. I haven’t tried any substitutes.
Vanilla and Almond Extracts: Add extra flavor and complement the cranberry and orange. The almond extract is optional, but if you leave it out, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla.
Can I Use Fresh Cranberries?
As fresh cranberries aren’t available for long and can only be found seasonally, this recipe was crafted to use frozen cranberries. If you want to use fresh cranberries, you’ll need to make a couple small tweaks:
- Fresh cranberries contain less liquid than frozen (once thawed), so add an additional tablespoon of orange juice to the compote.
- It will take a little longer for the fresh berries to break down compared to frozen – about 12-14 minutes.
Sprinkle of Science (open me!!)
Sour cream adds moisture, richness, and a slight tang that balances the sweetness of the cake. Its acidity also helps activate the baking soda, contributing to a soft, tender crumb. Use full-fat sour cream for the best results, but you can substitute with plain, full-fat yogurt.
An 8 by 8-inch light-colored metal baking pan heats quicker and more evenly than glass or ceramic, helping the cake bake through without the edges getting too dark. Dark pans can cause the edges to brown too quickly, while glass and ceramic pans heat more slowly — you’ll likely need to increase the baking time and lower the temperature by 25°F.
- If using a pan shorter than this USA pan (2.25 inches high) recommended for this recipe, bake on top of a rimmed baking sheet, as coffee cake may overflow.
Check out my article on Glass vs. Metal Pans for more information.
How to Make This Into a Brown Butter Cranberry Coffee Cake:
To add a fantastic level of nuttiness, add an additional 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of butter, and brown all the butter before mixing it with the sugars. Follow my How to Brown Butter guide for step-by-step instructions.
Storage & Make ahead
Storage: Store the cooled coffee cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Microwave individual slices for 15 to 20 seconds to take the chill off before serving, if desired.
Make Ahead: You can make the cranberry compote up to 1 day ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature before using. The fully baked coffee cake can also be made a day ahead. In fact, the flavors become even more pronounced by the next day!
Freeze: Freeze the whole cake or individual slices in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If freezing slices, wrap them individually before placing them in a freezer bag or container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coffee cake is typically meant to be served with coffee, so it doesn’t always contain coffee as an ingredient. Enjoy this coffee cake alongside a nice cup of coffee instead.
Yes! Add an extra tablespoon of orange juice to the compote and cook the fresh cranberries for about 12 to 14 minutes, until they begin to break down and the mixture thickens.
Yes! Plain, full-fat yogurt works well as a substitute for the sour cream. Make sure it’s at room temperature before adding it to the batter.
A light-colored metal 8×8-inch pan gives the best results. Glass or ceramic can work, but you’ll likely need to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F and increase the baking time. Avoid dark-colored pans, which can cause the edges to overbrown.
Simply double all ingredients and bake in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan (use light-colored metal for best results). Add about 5 minutes to the baking time.
Yes, you can turn this recipe into about 18 muffins! For best results, use foil liners in this recipe to prevent butter leakage. Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter, add and swirl in the cranberry compote, then sprinkle with streusel. Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the cake portion comes out clean.
The top should be golden brown, and a cake tester inserted into the cake portion (avoiding the cranberry compote) should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The center should no longer look wet or jiggly.
This recipe makes a fairly tall coffee cake, so it’s important to use an 8×8-inch pan with sides at least 2.25 inches high. If your pan is shorter, place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any overflow.
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Ingredients
For the Cranberry Compote:
- 7 oz or 1 3/4 cup (199 grams) frozen cranberries, no need to thaw
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1/2 orange, about 1 1/2 teaspoons (*zest entire orange before juicing. You need an additional teaspoon for the coffee cake)
- 1 tablespoon orange juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
For the Streusel Topping:
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons (43 grams) unsalted butter, softened
For the Coffee Cake:
- 2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 stick + 2 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, from about half an orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional (if not using, add ¼ additional teaspoon of vanilla)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 8 ounces (227 grams) sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt, at room temperature
Instructions
Make the Compote:
- In a medium saucepan, stir together all compote ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to break down and the sugar thickens. Use a fork or potato masher to carefully crush the berries so they break down faster and more evenly. Once thickened, remove from heat. Place on a hot pad in the fridge to cool while you prepare the streusel topping and cake.
Make the Streusel Topping:
- Place sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk together to combine, then add the softened butter. Mix with a fork until the mixture appears sandy. Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the cake batter.
Make the Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch light-colored aluminum pan* with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and whisk together. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add both sugars. Melt butter in a medium heat-proof bowl, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter to sugars and mix until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add the orange zest, vanilla and almond extracts, and eggs. Mix on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture looks slightly thickened. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add the flour mixture, milk, and sour cream. Mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Carefully top the batter evenly with the cooled cranberry compote. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the compote into the batter. Evenly add the streusel topping across the top.
- Bake on the middle rack for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted comes out clean (though this may be difficult to do without hitting cranberries!)
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Slice into 9 large pieces or 16 small pieces and serve. Store cooled coffee cake for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Photos by Joanie Simon.
Admittedly, this recipe was a bit more work than I typically care to take on for a basic coffee cake, but gosh was it worth it!!! I regret not doubling the recipe, haha.
The cake itself was so tender and delicious. The orange flavour really pops nicely, and is wonderfully complemented by the cranberry and hints of cinnamon. Nothing was overly sweet. Little kids and adults alike here at home were very happy with the results.
The recipe is easy to follow and requires no modifications. That said, I only had Greek yogurt and a 9×9 pan and everything worked out great.
I already can’t wait to make this again! (My photo does not do it justice.)
I love the combo of orange and cranberry! How good is this recipe? I had a distraction and somehow completely skipped over step 6. That’s right, I forgot to add the zest, extracts AND EGGS!! Didn’t realize it until I’d already mixed in the dry ingredients and was about to scrape the batter into the pan and realized it was awfully thick. Doh! I figured at that point there wasn’t much to lose in mixing them in after the dry ingredients and giving it a try. If that wasn’t enough, I think I slightly overbaked in an effort to compensate. I was amazed to find it was still terrifically moist and delicious. I’m usually my own biggest critic but I seriously could not tell from the end result that I’d made such a huge mistake! Is it foolproof? I don’t know, but this fool couldn’t manage to mess it up.
My 13YO son chose this recipe to make together. It is outrageously delicious!!! The cranberry compote was easy, and it had just the right amount of tart and sweet. The streusel topping adds that extra sweetness to balance it even more. I will absolutely be making this again! The only thing I would doggo differently is use a 9×9 pan. It overflowed my 8×8 a bit (luckily not into the oven). Otherwise, it’s perfection!
Can you turn this recipe into muffins instead of a cake?
Yes! Follow the instructions for muffins listed in the FAQs here 🙂 Let us know what you think!
Thanks so much……just saw the instructions for muffins ( missed it the last time I checked ) ~ recipe was AMAZING as a cake and I’m sure will be just
as awesome in muffin form 🙂
This coffee cake is amazing!! I made this for a Saturday brunch and the house smelled amazing while this was baking in the oven. I think cranberry orange may be my favorite fall flavor and look forward to making this again!
So happy you loved this recipe, Megan!
Just baked this little gem of a coffee cake. It is so delicious! The perfect texture and the balance of orange and cranberry is perfect. I walked into another room while I was making the compote and the smell….. FANTASTIC. Will 10/10 make this again.
Would I be able to change this to a raspberry lemon coffee cake?
We haven’t tried that, but you’re welcome to experiment! 🙂
Spectacular recipe! I made a few modifications (trying to be healthy). For the compote I used 1/4 cup sugar. For the Streusel I used 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/8 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon butter. For the cake I used 1/8 cup sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, 4 1/2 tablespoons sunflower oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and I added 1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts.
This is a very tasty cake. Make it. You will love it! Thank you, Tessa!
Warning, put some tinfoil under it! It may run over even when using a high sided pan. Mine really rose high in the oven. Butter spilled over the sides, burned on the bottom of the oven… Opening the oven door resulted in setting off the smoke alarm and sending the cat into a panic. Cat was in the middle of her dinner, which went everywhere in the panic and resulted in me having to mop the floor. At least I now know how to get her to the basement in the event of an emergency!
The cake also took about an extra 10 minutes to bake to seem done in the middle. Had to use fresh cranberries because I couldn’t find frozen ones anywhere. Nice blend of flavors (even if my cranberries were a little tart). Very light crumb. Probably one of the tallest rising coffee cakes I’ve ever made. It was good. Would make again. Cat might not approve.
Hi Erin! I’m so sorry to hear that this resulted in multiple messes for you – but I’m glad it was still delicious enough to make again! Handle the Heat’s recipes go through many rounds of testing in various climates across the US before being published – and despite many of us testing this recipe several times each, the only time any of us experienced overflow was when we used a slightly shorter pan! Please send your cat our apologies!
Can I use Craisins instead? Would it work the same?
Hi Thea! No, that won’t work here unfortunately. Fresh or frozen will work perfectly, though! 🙂
Looks fabulous. I will be trying to make it GF. Will let you know how successful it is.
Can’t wait to hear how it goes, Diane!