A Taste of the Holidays
In my house, food is love. Around this time every December I start looking for a way to add a bit more extra "specialness" around the house...but goodness knows I'm super short on time!
This quick-prep Cranberry Holiday Cake has been a Holiday staple for years. I love it because it's just sweet enough for an after-dinner treat, but not so sweet that you can't serve it at breakfast/brunch along side a savory main dish.
Think of it like a coffee cake, but much lighter and without the need of a topping or icing extra step.
The airy texture, fresh berries, and the not-too-sweet-not-too-tart flavor makes it absolute perfection; to me nothing screams The Holidays more than cranberries.
Plus it's just so pretty!
Chances are you have everything you need already at home, just grab a bag of fresh cranberries the next time you're at the store -- and be sure to let me know if you give it a try!
Cranberry Christmas Cake
10 minutes prep
40-50 minutes baking
Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour * see note below for gluten-free alternative *
12 oz fresh cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip this step.
The sugar and egg mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
Add the butter and vanilla; mix two more minutes. Stir in the flour until just combined.
Add the cranberries and stir to mix throughout.
Spread in a buttered 9×13 pan.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool before cutting into squares...but I do like eating mine while it's still a little bit warm.
* Gluten-Free Substitution: 1 1/4 cup brown rice flour + 1/2 cup potato starch + 1/4 cup tapioca starch + 1 teaspoon xanthan gum may be substituted for the amount of all-purpose flour listed in the ingredients above.
