Cranberry Cornmeal Cake Recipe

This Cranberry Cornmeal Cake Recipe is a buttery and textured recipe, which is made with fine yellow cornmeal and orange zest. It’s a perfect tea-time cake, ready in about 1 hour 15 minutes.

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Cranberry Cornmeal Cake Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for the pan
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pan
• 1/2 cup yellow fine cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup orange zest (from 2 large oranges)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs

How To Make Cranberry Cornmeal Cake Recipe

1. Prep the Oven and Pan: Place an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch round cake pan, then dust it with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and orange zest until well combined.
3. Coat the Cranberries: Measure 3 tablespoons of the combined flour mixture into a separate small bowl. Add the chopped dried cranberries and toss them until they are fully coated. This step prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.
4. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy, which should take about 2 minutes.
5. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat the vanilla extract into the butter mixture. Add the egg yolks and the whole eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Combine Wet and Dry: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing only until it is just incorporated. Do not overmix.
7. Fold in Cranberries: Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a spatula, gently fold the flour-coated cranberries into the batter.
8. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and use the spatula to smooth the surface. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, carefully invert the cake out of the pan and transfer it to the wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Why use cornmeal in a cake? Fine yellow cornmeal adds a beautiful golden color and a unique, slightly gritty texture that contrasts wonderfully with the soft crumb. It gives the cake a rustic, Italian-style feel.
• Why coat the cranberries? Dried fruit is heavy. If you add it directly to the batter, it will likely sink to the bottom of the pan while baking. Coating the pieces in a little bit of the flour mixture gives them “grip,” helping them stay suspended evenly throughout the cake.
• Room temperature ingredients: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smooth batter and a cake with a fine, even crumb.
• Zesting tip: Zest the oranges before you juice them (if you plan to use the juice for something else). When measuring, pack the zest loosely. The citrus oil is essential to balance the earthy cornmeal.

What To Serve With Cranberry Cornmeal Cake

This rustic cake is perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.

• A hot cup of tea or coffee
• A dollop of crème fraîche or Greek yogurt
• A drizzle of honey
• Fresh orange segments on the side

How To Store Cranberry Cornmeal Cake

• Room Temperature: This cake stores very well at room temperature. Keep it in an airtight cake carrier or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay moist for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Wrap the completely cooled cake (or individual slices) in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Cranberry Cornmeal Cake Nutrition Facts

(Per slice, assuming 10 slices)

• Calories: ~320 kcal
• Total Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Cholesterol: 135mg
• Sodium: 80mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 40g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 28g
• Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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