A sweet glaze and sugared cranberries bring a fun and festive touch to this Apple Cranberry Cake. This easy fruit cake makes for the perfect holiday dessert.
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Apple Cranberry Bundt Cake
I made this apple and toffee cake a few years ago, and it has been a family favorite ever since. This year, I added cranberries and pecans to the recipe for a fun Christmas twist. The cake turned out amazing, with a dense, moist texture that reminds me of fruitcake.
If you're like me and can't resist a dessert filled with fall flavors, this apple cranberry cake is just what you need. It's filled with sweet apple chunks, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans, making it delicious!
Plus, it bakes in a bundt pan, so it looks fancy without much effort. Whether I'm bringing it to a holiday dinner or just sneaking a slice with my coffee, this cake always hits the spot.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Seasonal Flavors: Apples and cranberries are peak fall ingredients, making this cake a celebration of the season.
- Stays Moist: Thanks to the applesauce and fresh fruit, this cake stays soft and moist for days (if it lasts that long!).
- Simple Yet Stunning: Bundt cakes look elegant with minimal effort. A simple glaze and sugared cranberries will impress guests at your next party.
- Works for Any Occasion: This cake is perfect for a casual family dinner, a holiday party, or a potluck.
Main Ingredients
Our apple spice cake recipe is easy to make with pantry ingredients you may already have on hand. The mix-ins give the cake a delicious fruitcake taste.
- Unsalted Butter: This creates a light and tender texture in the cake.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the batter.
- Applesauce: Gives moisture and more apple flavor to baked goods.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture without thinning the batter too much. Plain Greek yogurt can also be used.
- Large Eggs: Bind the ingredients together.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure by interacting with the other ingredients. See how to measure flour so your cake turns out great every time.
- Spices: This cake's great flavor comes from different spices. For a sweet taste, you can also use this cake spice recipe.
- Baking Soda: Gives the batter the lift it needs as it bakes.
- Apples: You will need 3-4 apples, depending on their size. Choose apples that hold up well when baked, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
- Mix-Ins: Fresh cranberries and chopped pecans add a tasty tartness and a nice crunch.
How To Make A Cranberry Apple Cake
Making this easy cranberry apple cake is a breeze! Just follow our easy steps, and you'll have it baking in your oven before you know it.
- Beat the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Mix again with the sour cream, applesauce, eggs, and extracts. The batter will look strange.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Shred the apples using a food processor. Don't worry about the peels—you can leave those on and shred them, too. Gently stir the apples, cranberries, and chopped pecans into the cake batter.
- Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes. Insert a wooden pick in the center to look for moist crumbs.
- Let it cool for 10 minutes in the cake pan before flipping it onto a plate. Finish cooling it before drizzling an apple cider glaze on top.
BruCrew Tip: For a delicious holiday flavor, add candied cherries, orange zest, and coconut flakes.
Storage Recommendations
Keep the cake in a loosely sealed container on the counter for a few days. The glaze may soak into the cake the longer it sits.
An unfrosted cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for 1-2 months. Make sure the cake is cooled completely before wrapping it up. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature before adding the glaze.
Tips and Tricks
- Use fresh ingredients. Fresh cranberries and apples make a big difference. Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples work great for their tart-sweet flavor and texture.
- Don't skimp on greasing and flouring every nook and cranny of the pan to avoid sticking. I like using Bakers Joy because the oil and flour mixture is easy to spray into the pan.
- Cut or shred your apple pieces into consistent sizes so they bake evenly.
- While we prefer pecans in this recipe, walnuts would be another great option.
- The cake should cooled in the hot pan for 10–15 minutes before being flipped onto a wire rack.
- Dust with powdered sugar to add a finishing touch. You can also drizzle a simple glaze on top. This glaze, made from powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, adds a little extra sweetness.
FAQs
That depends on the recipe and your preference. If you use shredded apples, leave the peels on because they soften and tend to "melt" into the cake. If you are using diced apples, peel them first if you like.
Yes, but the fresh cranberries add a beautiful tartness and juiciness. If you use dried cranberries, soak them in warm water or apple juice for about 10 minutes to plump them up.
Absolutely! Allow it to cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and foil before freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
More Apple Cakes
- Apple Walnut Cake
- Snickerdoodle Apple Cake
- Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
- Apple Spice Bundt Cake
- Apple Cider Cake
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Recipe
Apple Cranberry Bundt Cake
A sweet glaze and sugared cranberries add a fun & festive flair to this Apple Cranberry Bundt Cake. This easy fruit cake is the perfect holiday dessert.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup applesauce
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 3 cups shredded apples
- 1 ½ cup halved fresh cranberries
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
For the Topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup fresh cranberries
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 5 teaspoons apple juice or cider
- mint leaves, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with a nonstick baking spray containing flour.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the applesauce, sour cream, eggs, and extracts and beat again.
- Stir together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until everything is mixed in.
- Stir in the shredded apples, cranberries, and pecans by hand. Spoon into the prepared pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Do not overbake.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Place a plate over the top, flip the cake, and let it cool completely.
- In a small saucepan, bring ¼ cup sugar and water to a boil. Remove and let cool. Add the cranberries and stir to coat. Let them sit for an hour or more, and then roll the berries in the remaining sugar. Place on a plate to dry.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and juice. Spoon over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Top with the sugared cranberries and mint leaves right before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 477Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 212mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 3gSugar: 41gProtein: 5g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
This post was first shared in December 2016. It was updated and then republished in November 2024.
Charlene Lee
I used almost four packs of Apple's to get three cups of shredded apples and my cake came out very dense. Did I use too much apple although I measured it at three cups. Please advise.
Jocelyn
I don't think I used 4 bags of apples when I shredded mine. Did you pack the shredded apple into your measuring cups? I just loosely measured it without packing it. My cake wasn't super dense, but it was moist. Did yours at least taste good?
Charlene Lee
I enjoyed the flavor of th cake, but the next time I will only use 2 to 2 1/2 bags of apples.
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
What a beautiful cake! So festive!
Marye
Oh gorgeous and delicious! Yum!
Heather Kinnaird
I love crunch pak apples almost as much as I love bundt cakes, and this one is SO festive!
allie
What a gorgeous cake Jocelyn! And prep is so easy using the Crunch Pak apples. I love your sugared cranberry garnish!!! So pretty. A very Merry Christmas to you and your family! xo
Wendy
What a beautiful cake! The sweet-tart of the cranberry goes so well with apple!
Beth - Slice of Southern
Such a festive looking cake. Just beautiful!
Aimee Shugarman
I am a big fan of bundt cakes, cranberries, and of course Crunch Pak apples!! LOVE this festive holiday cake!