Cranberry Coffee Cake
This Cranberry Coffee Cake features a rich buttery cake layered with a tart cranberry swirl and topped with a pecan-orange streusel for a bright, cozy bake perfect for brunch, breakfast, or coffee breaks.
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Ingredients
For the Streusel
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 2/3 c all-purpose flour
- 1/3 c chopped toasted pecans
- 1/3 c dried cranberries
- 1/4 c sugar
- 2 tbsp minced orange zest
For the Cake
- 1 c fresh cranberries
- 2 1/4 c sugar divided
- Zest of 1/2 orange
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 4 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 3 sticks unsalted butter softened
Instructions
Preheat the oven and prepare the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a long strip of parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend up the two short sides and overhang slightly at both ends. Spray again with nonstick spray.
Prepare the streusel.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, chopped toasted pecans, dried cranberries, sugar, and orange zest until combined. Set aside.
Prepare the cranberry mixture.
- In a food processor, pulse the fresh cranberries with 3/4 cup of the sugar and the orange zest until combined. Set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, ground cinnamon, and baking powder. Set aside.
Prepare the egg mixture.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolk. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter with the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix the batter.
- Add the flour mixture and the egg mixture alternately to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition, until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
Layer the cake.
- Transfer half of the batter to the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with the cranberry mixture. Spread the remaining batter over the cranberry layer, smoothing the surface. Use a knife to gently swirl the batter and cranberry mixture.
Add the streusel topping.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the cake.
Bake the cake.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the cake is fully set and the top is golden brown.
Cool before serving.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
To make this Cranberry Coffee Cake gluten free, replace the all-purpose flour in both the streusel and cake with a certified gluten-free 1:1 flour blend that is designed for baking. Also confirm that the baking powder, dried cranberries, and all other packaged ingredients are certified gluten free or free from hidden gluten-containing additives if needed for strict dietary requirements.