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Stack of slices of cranberry cake on a grey plate.
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Almond Cranberry Cake

A soft and moist almond flavored cake filled with fresh cranberries and topped with a sweet almond streusel. A delicious breakfast or dessert for the holiday season. 
Course Dessert
Cuisine Dessert
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 295kcal

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour*
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons almond extract
  • cup sour cream thick sour cream is best
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 scant cups fresh cranberries

Almond topping:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup sliced almonds

Icing:

  • cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons milk
  • drop almond extract

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 6 tablespoons butter and ⅔ cup sugar for several minutes, until creamy and well combined. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  • Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Beat until just combined. Add the sour cream and 2 tablespoons milk, beating until combined. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients. Add the cranberries and use a rubber spatula to gently fold them into the batter.
  • Grease a 9x9 square baking pan or 8x11 rectangle baking pan**. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Make topping.

Topping:

  • Combine butter, sugar, flour, and almond extract. Use a fork to stir and mash the butter into the dry ingredients. Add the sliced almonds and mix until combined. Sprinkle the topping over the top of the cake batter. Bake for 30-40 minutes (begin checking at 30 minutes, see note), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. 

Icing:

  • Whisk all icing ingredients. Adjust the consistency as necessary by adding more powdered sugar or milk. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

Video

Notes

*To properly measure flour, fluff the flour with your measuring cup, scoop a heaping portion, then level it off with the back of a knife. 
**This recipe can be made in a 9x9 square baking pan or an 8x11 rectangle baking pan. 
9x9: This makes a slightly thicker cake. It will take approximately 35-40 minutes to bake. Begin checking it around 30minutes. Tent with foil if it starts to get dark. It should be golden around the edges.
8x11: This is my preferred pan size. Bake time is closer to 30-35 minutes.
Do NOT try to squeeze this batter into an 8x8 pan. There will be too much batter and the edges will dry out before the center is cooked through.

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1.3mg