Cranberry Coffee Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce
This cranberry coffee cake with warm vanilla sauce is a stunning holiday dessert! Even better, it is incredibly delicious with the brown sugar pecan streusel, tart cranberries, and caramel sauce.
Just when I think I can’t possibly give you one more must-make holiday dessert, this cranberry cake comes along.
I need you to stop and take me very seriously for a moment. You need to make this cake.
My entire family agrees that this stunning cranberry coffee cake is the winner of the holiday baking season. It is incredible.
The super fluffy cake dotted with tart cranberries and dusted with pecans and brown sugar is one (very good!) thing…
…But drizzling the warm caramel sauce on top makes this one of my favorite desserts of all time. The tart + the sweet is a phenomenal combination.
Warm Vanilla Sauce
This isn’t the first time we’ve gifted pieces of cake with a creamy sweet warm vanilla sauce.
Taking notes from this apple dapple cake and this rhubarb streusel cake, I knew the sauce would be a very good idea with the tart and sweet cranberry coffee cake.
The 4-ingredient sauce couldn’t be simpler. Butter, cream, and brown sugar cook on the stove for a few minutes. Stir in vanilla. And there you have it.
One Bowl Cranberry Cake
I decided not to fuss around with intricate cake methods and instead threw all the cake batter ingredients, save the cranberries, in a bowl and started mixing.
Just like this amazing one-bowl chocolate chip cake taught us: it works.
The cake is beautifully moist and soft, and you and I get away with only one bowl to clean up.
Fresh Cranberries (and Substitutions)
This cake is yet another reason to long for fresh cranberry season.
There isn’t anything quite like them, and they are my first choice for this cake.
However, I think this cake would be highly adaptable to fresh blueberries or raspberries or frozen cranberries or other frozen fruit.
If using frozen fruit, don’t thaw first, and don’t overmix once they are added to the batter.
Brown Sugar Pecan Streusel
The sprinkle of brown sugar and chopped pecans over the cake top before baking is literally the most delightful addition to a cake in the history of ever.
I was skeptical that a faux-streusel like this would work out, but it does!
It doesn’t clump together like traditional streusel, but it adds a wonderful crunch and pop of texture to the top of the cake.
This cranberry coffee cake is fluffy and moist and pure heaven eaten warm all by itself.
But once you try it with the warm vanilla sauce, you’ll never be able to go back. It’ll ruin you forever.
It transitions the fun, cute, little coffee cake into a gourmet and elegant dessert that is completely next-level delicious.
Since I don’t necessarily have any gourmet, elegant parties to attend or host this year (ahem, or ever), thank goodness this cranberry coffee cake with warm vanilla sauce is just as happy to party with me and my kids in PJs at home on a random Thursday night in December.
This cake is so fantastic, I’m willing to bet it can even win over some cranberry skeptics. At least it did at my house.
FAQs for Cranberry Coffee Cake:
You could try subbing blueberries or raspberries. Frozen fruit may work ok, too. Don’t thaw before using in the recipe.
You can definitely experiment. I’m normally not a fan of nuts in cake, but I love, love the crunch the toasty pecans give to this cake, so I encourage you to give it a try (unless you are working around a food allergy).
This cake is worth buying the real deal buttermilk for! If I don’t have buttermilk, I always sub in half sour cream, half milk.
Yes. It should convert well to an 8X8- or 9X9-inch pan.
The exact baking time depends on a lot of factors – every oven bakes a little different temperature-wise. Also, the type of pan makes a difference, too. Glass pans might take longer. Conversely, dark coated pans may bake faster). If using a glass or dark coated pan, I suggest turning the oven temp down to 325 degrees.
One Year Ago: The Best Leftover Turkey Soup
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Three Years Ago: Turkey {or Chicken} and Brown Rice Soup {Instant Pot or Stovetop}
Four Years Ago: 5-Minute Cranberry Sauce {Pressure Cooker}
Five Years Ago: Make-Ahead Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
Six Years Ago: Yummy Fresh Cranberry Salsa
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Cranberry Coffee Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce
Ingredients
Cake:
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (318 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (340 g) fresh cranberries (see note)
- ¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (57 g) chopped pecans
Warm Vanilla Sauce:
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup (212 g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray (I use metal for more even baking; if using a glass pan, turn the oven down to 325 degrees F). You can also line the pan with parchment paper, optional.
- For the cake: in a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, granulated sugar, egg, buttermilk, baking soda, salt and flour. Mix until no dry streaks remain and dough is mostly combined. Add the cranberries and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly combined into the batter.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and pecans. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- For the sauce: combine the butter, cream and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium until the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Keep warm. (Or refrigerate and warm later when serving.)
- Cut the cake in pieces and drizzle with warm vanilla sauce. It’s also very delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from a recipe an Instagram reader sent me
I substituted the cranberries with 2 cups of frozen blueberries. This cake is seriously delicious!
If you make it in a bundt pan do you sprinkle the brown sugar/nut mixture in the bottom of the pan before adding the batter? Or add it on top of the batter which would end up being on the bottom of the cake? Ja
I haven’t made it in a bundt pan myself, but if I were to do so, yes, I’d sprinkle the brown sugar and pecans in the pan first for a prettier presentation when the cake is turned out.
This dessert is divine!!! I saw this recipe around the holidays and knew I wanted to try it-so I froze a bag of cranberries to do later. Boy! Worth the wait! So easy and so fancy! It was a family hit! Mel, you recipe’s are the best!!
This is so good! Don’t let the cranberries scare you. I buy a few extra bags of cranberries in the fall so I can make this year round! My whole family loves it!
I made this to go with our Valentine’s breakfast. I used frozen cranberries. This cake is so delightful, the contrast between the tartness of the cranberries and sweetness of the syrup is perfect! Thanks for a great recipe Mel! Also, you converted me to a metal pan…it makes such a difference!
I’ve been making this every Christmas for a few years. We have four kids and they aren’t big fans plus one has a nut allergy, so this is like an adult dessert in our home. we warm up pieces with sauce after the kids go to bed and it’s such a treat! My husband doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth but he loves this cake!! Thank you!!
This cake is a total winner Absolutely delicious! I’m making it again today! Works great in a Bundt pan, 50 minutes in my oven
I have made this three times already since finding the recipe last week! I can’t get enough of it!! I love everything about it – the balance between the slightly tart cranberries and sweetness of the cake are perfect, the topping is delightful, and it just looks so festive! I will make this for years to come. Thank you!
Just coming back to say that this cake is amazing with raspberries as well!
That’s awesome to know – thanks, Kim!
Made this for my “moms club” last night. Baked it in a bundt pan which made it look a little fancier with the sauce drizzled over the top. So delicious!
Also made a half-sized gluten free batch for my daughter and baked it as muffins. She loved it!
Did you have to adjust baking time when you made in the bundt pan? If so, how long did you bake it for?
Perfect cake for this time of year. Frozen, whole cranberries work exactly the same as fresh. I have used both and could not tell the difference. My husband is not a chocolate lover (I know! Its amazing we got married really) so thus dessert is a regular addition for us in the fall and winter.
This recipe is AMAZING! I love the cranberries that add that little bit of sour! I made it for a church activity and it was a hit!
This cake is a large part of the reason there are now eight (!) bags of cranberries in my freezer. I found the recipe about this time last year and have made it about once a month ever since. Love, love, love it. But I have never made the sauce because I think it would make this cake way too sweet. I think it’s perfect just the way it is. Also, I have used both fresh and frozen cranberries, and the frozen berries have been both thawed and unthawed with no differences in the results.
This cake is a large part of the reason there are now eight (!) bags of cranberries in my freezer. I discovered this recipe last year and loved it so much that I have baked this cake about once a month since. I have never made the sauce to go with it because we find the cake itself to have just the right amount of sweetness. I often mess around with ingredient quantities, but this one is just right the way it is. Also, I have used fresh and frozen berries interchangeably and when using frozen have used them both thawed and unthawed with no difference in the results.
Now one of my favorite desserts – thanks so much, Mel!
Made this yesterday for a Christmas party and everyone loved it! It was so easy! I hate to admit I was doubtful about not creaming the butter and sugar first, but went with the recipe the way it is printed and and it turned out perfectly! Thanks for another great recipe Mel!
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
Would this work in a sheet pan? Wondering if anyone has tried it that way, and how long I would need to bake it. I’m wanting to serve a crowd…
Thanks!
Meaning in a jelly roll pan I believe
This was a childhood favorite of mine and brings back great memories. Ours didn’t have the streusel topping but that just makes it next level! So good! Even people that aren’t crazy about cranberries love this.
I made this for book club a few weeks ago and everyone loved it. My daughter who doesn’t like fruit in her desserts ate three of the leftover pieces. So easy to make and so delicious!
This looks and sounds amazing! Do you think it would work to bake it in a Bundt pan?
Several people have made it in a bundt pan and say it works great!
So easy to make and so yummy! Perfect holiday dessert!
Ya’ll, this is the best coffee cake I ever baked! And I didn’t make the warm vanilla sauce. We devoured the coffee cake as is.
I’m going to make it with fresh blueberries next.
Thanks, Mel, for sharing this great recipe!
Haven’t made the recipe yet, but I do have a question. I noticed that you use salted butter. Would it make a difference if I use unsalted? The recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it for my great grandchildren!
Hi Cathey – if you use unsalted butter, increase the butter in the recipe about 1/4 teaspoon for every 1/2 cup butter.
A bittersweet story for this cake: My son’s friend (12) lost his mom unexpectedly a week ago. She was a chef! He and another friend came over to play games a couple of days ago and I knew the kids would be hungry later. I knew he liked rolls, so I made up a batch of Lion House rolls. Always a hit! I had a bag of cranberries, so I made this cake too, hoping it’d be a little something like his mom would make. The boys came running up the stairs when they smelled all the good stuff going on! They loved it all, and the sweet boy was so excited about the cake. He had a big second slice and since he was staying the night, asked if we could set aside another slice for breakfast in the morning. He absolutely loved it! We all did. Thanks for the recipe, Mel! Our home has been a gathering place for our kids and their friends for years, and no small part of that is because I have amazing recipes from you. This particular recipe is a new favorite and a reminder of good things and good times carrying us through the difficult ones.
Oh, this brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing, sweet friend.
I’m reading this recipe while eating one of your banana bread recipes. lol I can’t remember which one. I think I eeny meeny miney moed it. lol I had three brown bananas, what’s a gal to do? lol
OOOOh when life gives you brown bananas, MAKE BREAD!!!! bah ha ha ha…
Can I just say- is there anything more delicious than a coffee cake? (banana bread is it’s own category) lol Seriously. It’s just divine. I can’t wait to try this! Although I’m having a bit of deja vu…so maybe I already did. lol Worth the repeat. 😀
My mother made this type of cake every Christmas. She made cupcakes for easy individual servings. Thank you so much for the post. I can’t wait to make this and share with my friends. It always evoked a warm happy taste once that buttery sauce struck upon the tart cranberry’s. I’ve never had her recipe so this is a gift. Thank you
I ended up having to substitute way more than I initially planned and it still turned out delicious! My cranberries went bad so I substituted peeled and diced Granny Smith apples, and I ran out of pecans so I replaced with almonds instead. The cake was delicious and got a thumbs up from everyone! I would make it again with the same substitutions, but am I excited to try it the correct way next time! Thanks so much for such a good recipe base!