Cranberry Coffee Cake has arrived just in time for fall baking! Tart and sweet with a tender crumb, this cranberry cake from The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook is sure to put a smile on your face. Make it for dessert or enjoy it with your morning cup of coffee, too!
*This post contains an affiliate link(s).
I wish I could take credit for this beautiful, perfect cranberry coffee cake. That honor belongs to one of my blogging besties, Mary Younkin from Barefeet in the Kitchen. Mary is the QUEEN of simple and delicious homemade meals and desserts. Whenever I’m trying to think of something different for a quick weeknight dinner, she always has a recipe handy to blow my mind.
You can find this recipe in The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook, which includes 80 recipes that call for only 5 to 15 minutes of prep time. This means you can have your coffee cake and the time to enjoy it too!
SAVE THIS CRANBERRY COFFEE CAKE RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
Why you’ll love Cranberry Coffee Cake
- It’s amazingly yummy! With a buttery crumb topping, tart cranberries, and a moist interior, this cranberry cake has everything I want in a slice of coffee cake and more.
- This cake is beautiful and perfect for holiday baking! With the holiday season just over the horizon, keep this recipe in mind for new ways to bake with cranberries!
- It’s so easy to make! Coffee cake recipes are some of my favorites because they don’t require a ton of fuss with icing or decorations. When I’m in a rush or overwhelmed with other holiday baking tasks, coffee cake is there to save the day.
- This cranberry crumb cake makes a thoughtful gift- drop it off to a new mom, a sick friend, or just to share with some friends with a glass of orange juice!
Cranberry Coffee Cake Ingredients
You’ll need basic pantry staples to make this moist coffee cake, plus a few extras. Gather together these things:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 cup of fresh cranberries
- ½ cup of sour cream
Here’s what you need for the crumb topping:
- 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup of melted butter
How to Make Cranberry Coffee Cake
This simple coffee cake recipe comes together in no time! Let’s get started.
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square pan with butter.
- To make the cake, cream butter, and white sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for about three minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla, then mix until just combined.
- Combine 1 cup of flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.
- Place the cranberries in a separate bowl and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of flour over them, stirring gently to coat the berries. This helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake batter while it bakes.
- Add half of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Then add the sour cream and mix well. Finish by adding the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the cranberries with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Make the streusel topping by combining the crumb topping ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the brown sugar streusel over the top of the batter.
- Bake for 42-46 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing for the best results!
FAQs
Can I use frozen cranberries in this coffee cake recipe?
Frozen cranberries work just as well in this recipe as fresh and there’s no need to thaw them. You also might be lucky enough to have a local grocery store that sells frozen cranberries throughout the year like I do.
If not, stock up on cranberries during the holiday season and stick a bunch of the bags in the freezer. Then serve this Cranberry Coffee Cake to mom on Mother’s Day (or maybe these Cranberry Pancakes). Boy, will she be surprised!
Can I substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream?
Yes, you can use plain Greek yogurt in this recipe in place of sour cream. Either one provides the moisture that makes this cake stay tender longer than other coffee cake recipes.
Can I make Cranberry Coffee Cake ahead of time?
This recipe is perfect to make the night before so it’s ready to eat in the morning. Then warm up a slice in the microwave for a quick, ready-to-eat breakfast!
How do I store leftover coffee cake?
To store this cranberry cake, cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Store this at room temperature for 1-2 days, or place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for longer.
More of my Favorite Coffee Cakes
IF you enjoyed this recipe, you should try one of these other sweet coffee cake recipes next time:
- If you’re a blueberry lover, then this Easy Blueberry Crumb Cake Recipe NEEDS to be on your list!
- Orange Cranberry Coffee Cake combines tart cranberries and a sweet orange glaze for this delightful breakfast treat.
- Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake might be my favorite classic breakfast treat, and it’s another one of Mary’s wonderful recipes from another one of her cookbooks! With a super moist cake and two layers of cinnamon streusel, this morning treat is hard to resist. It is THE perfect accompaniment to your weekend morning coffee!
- Okay, so Nutella Swirl Banana Bundt Bread technically isn’t a coffee cake, but it might as well be! Mix hazelnut spread into a classic banana bread batter and bake it in a Bundt cake pan. You’ll love these flavors together!
Happy baking!
The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook
Once you try this coffee cake, I know you’ll be dying to get your hands on even more of Mary’s recipes.
Aimee over at Shugary Sweets recently posted the Chocolate Pound Cake from Mary’s new book and it looks so good I might have to whip it up for dessert tonight.
Then there’s the Pretzel Avalanche Fudge from the book that Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen shared. If you’re a fan of the sweet and salty flavors in that easy fudge, then the Little Bit Salty Little Bit Sweet Skillet Cookies shared by Country Cleaver are right up your alley, too.
These are just a few of the 80 amazing dessert recipes included in the pages of The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook along with dozens of beautiful photos of each recipe. Don’t forget to get your copy! Be sure to order a couple extras as well because they’ll make great gifts!
FOLLOW ME
FACEBOOK ~ PINTEREST
INSTAGRAM ~ TWITTER
YOUTUBE
Keep an eye out for more of my easy recipes each week!
Easy Cranberry Coffee Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup butter room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ½ cup sour cream
For the Topping
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan with butter.
- To make the cake, combine the butter and white sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for approximately 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla, and mix until just combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour and the baking powder.
- Place the cranberries in a separate bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour, stirring gently to coat the berries. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add the sour cream, mix again, and add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Gently stir in the cranberries and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- To make the topping, place the flour and sugar in the same bowl that was holding the berries and add the melted butter. Stir lightly with a fork to combine. Sprinkle the sugary crumbs over the batter in the pan.
- Bake for 42-46 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Let it cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Comments & Reviews
I’m so glad you like the cranberry coffee cake and that you’re enjoying the cookbook. Thanks, Lynne!
Omg, I’m definitely saving this for later. Wanna try to make it for my grandma who’s coming to visit us so soon. Actually, I’ve saved so many lovely recipes so far that my grandma won’t have any choice except to taste everything I’ll present to her.
Lynne do you think I could add some walnuts or almonds to the recipe? Also, how do you recommend to store the cake? I’m sorry I probably missed that. Thank you for inspiring me!
Ann, I’m so glad you like it and I’m sure your grandmother will as well. Seems like she will be VERY well fed when she visits!
You could definitely add some walnuts or almonds to the recipe. I think no more than a 1/2 cup of either to the batter would be plenty and you could also add another 1/4 cup to the topping. Now I want to come to your house to have some, Ann. 😉
The two times I’ve made this, I really didn’t store it more than a day because we all loved it so much we were quick to devour it. haha That being said, you can cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap for at least two days, but any longer than that, I’d recommend the refrigerator.
Enjoy your visit with your grandma!
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. I am wondering if I could double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan for a larger family gathering?
Julie, you can definitely use a 9 X 13-inch pan to double the recipe. Enjoy it!
OOh, I really like this and have made it a few times! I add extra cranberries anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 cup. One time, I didn’t have enough butter for the topping and used shortening which added a nice flavor (reminded me of pie crusts I’ve made).
I think anything with cranberries works for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine’s Day!
Would this recipe work with blueberries instead of cranberries?
Ellen, I think it would work if you substituted the blueberries for cranberries. Please report back to let me know how it worked for you!
Great recipe. I cut the sugar down to 3/4 cup and didn’t make the streusel topping. It was plenty sweet for my tastes. I think I will add chopped nuts next time I make it. Thanks for posting it!