Lemon Cake with Cranberries

It's cake time!

That's my favorite time, in fact. Especially when it involves this delicious Lemon Cake with Cranberries!

In my humble opinion we don't use fresh cranberries nearly enough, particularly in baked goods. When cooked for a long period of time, they become juicy and sweet, yet are still delightfully tart.

Cranberries and citrus also go together that peanut butter and jelly or New Year's Eve and champagne! Though typically paired with orange in muffins or loaves, I happened to find myself with an abundance of lemons to go with half a bag of leftover cranberries. Thus this cake was born, and man am I glad it was!

There's no denying that there is lots of fresh lemon flavor in this cake. Not only will we rub a tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest into our sugar (lemon sugar! genius! distributes flavor into the entire loaf! YAS!), there is also plenty of lemon juice in the cake plus a sweet lemon glaze on top. We are in it to win it!

Be sure to work this cake into your holiday breakfast plans! Sweet, tart, festive, and delicious.

P.S. Don't those cran-bebes look like jewels studding the cake?! Swoon!


Here's what you need for Lemon Cake with Cranberries* (Print Recipe!)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh cranberries, tossed in 1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup powered sugar
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

Here's what you do

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard loaf pan with butter or baking spray. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, use your fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Add the lemon sugar to the butter and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs and lemon juice.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternating with the milk, gradually beat into the butter mixture. Fold in the cranberries tossed in flour using a strongly rubber spatula. Be careful not to burst the berries or your batter will be tie-dyed!

Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes while you prepare the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Remove the cake onto a wire rack and immediately drizzle the glaze on top. Cool completely before slicing. Cake will keep well-wrapped at room temperature for 3 days.



*Adapted from Taste of Home