This showpiece cake layers the tartness of cranberries with the brightness of orange and the warmth of fresh ginger, all in a tender sour cream Bundt. Whole cranberries get folded right into the batter. After baking, the cake is blanketed with a rich, sweet glaze made from honey, orange juice, and vanilla bean paste. Candied cranberries add a final sweet-and-sour touch and a festive look.
Info
- Cook time: 50 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 to 12
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing the pan
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the cranberries, and extra for dusting the pan
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 to 2 oranges)
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger, grated over a strainer; reserve the juice for the glaze
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries (thawed if frozen)
Glaze
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Sugared cranberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with butter, then dust with flour and tap out any excess. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, salt, ground ginger, and baking soda. In a mixer bowl, beat both sugars with the orange zest and grated ginger on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla bean paste and orange juice. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream. Toss the cranberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold them into the batter.
- Bake the cake: Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is deep golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed, and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 65 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let it cool until easy to handle, 20 to 30 minutes. If the sides appear stuck, run a small spatula around the edges to loosen, then carefully invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours.
- Make the glaze: In a large bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, honey, melted butter, vanilla bean paste, and 1 tablespoon of the reserved ginger juice. Whisk until smooth and pourable but still thick. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Allow it to set for at least 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with sugared cranberries.
Notes
To make sugared cranberries: In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil. Add 1 cup cranberries, then remove from the heat and let cool. Drain the cranberries, then toss them in sugar. Let them set before using.
