This cranberry pecan cake is tender and buttery with brown sugar cinnamon pecan crumble blanketing each bite. Cranberries and pecans are a wonderful pairing, especially during the holiday season. You’ll love them together in this crumb cake—a breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert suited for any time of the day!
One reader, Judy, commented: “This cake is fabulous! The name fits perfectly because I have to be careful with it since I am truly snacking on it anytime!! Love the abundance of pecans coupled with the slightly tart cranberries. Another wonderful recipe, Sally! ★★★★★“
This breakfast cake, which is like a fancy holiday version of my classic coffee cake, is really an anytime cake. 🙂 During the holiday season where routines are amiss, schedules are packed, guests pop in, school is out, and your gift wrapping snack is a spoonful of cookie dough, it seems ANY TIME is the time for cake—not just Christmas cookies!
And no, you don’t have to save it for Christmas or celebrate Christmas to enjoy it!
Why limit a buttery soft cranberry cake dressed up with pecan brown sugar crumble to the morning? And why limit those tasty tart cranberries to Thanksgiving cranberry sauce? I have a feeling your afternoons and evenings could use the tasty pick-me-up too.
Tell Me About This Cranberry Pecan Cake
- Flavor: Tart cranberries dotted throughout a sweet buttery cake is a lovely flavor balance. Plus, you have a pecan brown sugar cinnamon crumble topping that makes each bite even more scrumptious than the last. And if you prepare the icing with orange juice (you could also use milk), you have a little citrus finishing it all off.
- Texture: Thanks to the sour cream, expect a moist and tender cake crumb. The coarse crumble topping adds a pleasant texture contrast and I love that some bites of the crumb are crunchy (around the edges) and some are melt-in-your-mouth buttery (in the very center). Between the cranberries, cake, pecans, and crumb topping, there’s a variety of texture to savor.
- Ease: The cake batter is quite standard using staple baking ingredients like flour, butter, sugar, and eggs—and some of these ingredients are repeated in the crumb topping, too. Assembling the cake is nothing more than spreading thick batter into your pan and topping with the pecan crumble. That’s it! I always appreciate a cake that doesn’t require complicated shaping/decoration/design.
- Time: Isn’t it nice when you can cut into a cake while it’s warm? Cool this cake for just 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. The bake time varies and this depends on the pan you’re using.
Testing The Recipe
Have you ever made this raspberry almond crumb cake before? It’s been a big hit ever since I published the recipe. Today’s cranberry cake uses a similar batter, but I add a little more flour and some liquid. Cranberries are a special add-in because they’re so light and you often need a lot of them to fill each slice with berries. I found 2 cups (about 250g) to be the perfect amount. Since I added 2 cups of add-ins (plus pecans in the batter too), the batter needed a little more flour. And to prevent the crumb from tasting dry with extra flour, I added some liquid. I recommend orange juice for a little flavor, but you can use milk if that’s all you have. The recipe below includes these additions.
- You also need liquid in the icing and you can use orange juice or milk there too. It depends on if you want a vanilla or orange icing drizzled on this cranberry jeweled cake! I love the orange.
Expect a thick cake batter:
Cranberry Cake Crumb Topping
The crumb topping is a scaled down version of what we usually use on New York-style crumb cake. I use this same amount on blackberry cream cheese crumb cake, too. (A favorite!) You need a fork or pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the mixture. Mix until you have plenty of crumbles—some dry powdery crumbs are fine. Stir in pecans and then sprinkle over the cake batter before baking:
Can I Use Frozen or Dried Cranberries?
I typically make this cranberry pecan cake with fresh cranberries, but you can use frozen instead. You do not have to thaw the berries before folding into the batter. You could also use dried cranberries, but keep in mind that they are much sweeter so reducing the amount is imperative. If using dried instead of fresh or frozen, use 1 cup (140g) dried cranberries.
Lots to love here. Orange cranberry bread would be the loaf version of this cake and there’s cranberry orange muffins, too—both are also great for the holidays, any time of day!
Even More Brunch Treats
- Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
- Star Bread
- Chai Spice Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
- Cranberry Cardamom Spice Muffins
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coffee Cake
- Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread
Cranberry Pecan Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Yield: serves 10
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This cranberry pecan cake is tender and buttery with a brown sugar cinnamon pecan crumble blanketing each bite. Fitting for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert. See recipe notes about best baking pans.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 and 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or orange juice, at room temperature
- 2 cups (250g) fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
- 2/3 cup (90g) roughly chopped pecans
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed dark or light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2/3 cup (90g) roughly chopped pecans
Icing (Optional)
- 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (22ml) milk, heavy cream, or orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (skip if using orange juice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish. (See note below for recommendations on best pans to use.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until creamy and combined, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) On medium speed, add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula and beat again as needed to combine. (Mixture may appear curdled—that’s ok.) With the mixer on low speed, pour in the dry ingredients and milk/orange juice and beat until smooth and combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick. Fold in the cranberries and pecans. Spread into prepared pan. Set aside.
- Make the crumb topping: Combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or a fork (or even with your hands) until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the pecans. Sprinkle evenly over batter.
- Bake for 40-55 minutes. Baking times vary greatly depending on the pan you’re using. A thick ceramic pan (as pictured) will take longer than a metal springform pan. Keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when the edges are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Make the icing: As the cake slightly cools, you can make the icing by whisking the icing ingredients together until smooth. Add more milk/cream/orange juice to thin out if needed. Drizzle icing over cake while it’s still warm. Slice and serve.
- Cover and store leftover cake at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Bake the cake as directed, cool completely, and then freeze for up to 3 months (with or without the icing). Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature to serve or you can slightly warm by baking at 300°F (149°C) for 15 minutes. Drizzle icing on cake, if it’s plain, before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 2-quart Baking Dish (see note below for more options) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Pastry Blender | Cooling Rack
- Baking Pan to Use (affiliate links): Use a baking dish that holds 2 quarts, such as a 9-inch square baking dish, 9-inch springform pan, 10-inch springform pan, or an 11×7-inch pan. I do not recommend a 9-inch regular round cake pan because there is so much batter and even though it will fit, the batter will rise quite high and won’t bake evenly. The pictured red ruffled baking dish is by the brand Emile Henry and comes in a set with others.
- Sour Cream: If you don’t have sour cream, you can use plain regular or Greek yogurt instead. I don’t suggest subbing the sour cream with a liquid.
- Cranberries: If using dried instead of fresh or frozen, reduce down to 1 cup (140g) dried cranberries.
- Optional Icing: The icing is optional. Feel free to skip it completely and leave the cake plain. Or you can dust the warm cake with confectioners’ sugar using a fine mesh sieve.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Can I use frozen tart cherries? Should they be chopped since they are larger than most other add in fruits?
Hi Tracy, we haven’t tried this recipe with frozen tart cherries, but don’t see why it wouldn’t work in place of frozen cranberries. Enjoy!
Can you make this without the pecans? If so, do you have to adjust any other ingredients?
You certainly can!
I’m not an experienced baker but successfully made this delicious recipe for guests who all loved it. The flavors are very well balanced between nutty, sweet, and tart. I’ll make this again!
I really love this awesome tasty recipe> Can this be frozen so it could be saved for another time to enjoy?
Hi Phyllis, the freezing instructions can be found immediately below the recipe in the Notes section. Glad you enjoy this recipe!
Can I use frozen blue berries instead of cranberries?
Yvonne, absolutely. For heavier berries such as blueberries or raspberries, we recommend 1 and 1/2 cups. Enjoy!
Oh WOW is this good! I left off the icing and it’s a perfect coffee cake.
Could you double the recipe and put it in a 9×13 pan?
Hi Trish, here’s everything you need to know about scaling for different cake pan sizes and conversions.
This recipe is sooo delicious!! Does not surprise me though, Sally has the best recipes. For some reason my cake was kind of crumbly. What did I do wrong?
Hi Camille, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! How did you weigh your flour? Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure the flour isn’t over measured. Too much flour can dry out the cake and make it crumbly, as can over baking. Hope this helps for next time!
This recipe was so easy to follow. We have two diabetics in our family so I substituted the granulated sugar with Splenda. I omitted the crumb topping. The cake turned out perfect with an added dollop of fresh whipping cream on top ……it was so yummy!!!!
I am baking another one tomorrow as this one is almost all gone!
Sally and Team – thank you so much for this recipe! This cake absolutely made our Christmas! It was delicious and so festive, and I definitely will add it to our yearly traditions.
I had less pecans than I thought when I started to bake, so I used pecans for the topping, and in the cake I substituted the pecans with 1/3 cup dried craisins (chopped) and 1/3 cup white chocolate chips (chopped slightly). I don’t know how the cake would be with pecans, but with white chocolate it was heavenly.
I’ve since made the orange cranberry muffins with this recipe’s crumb topping, and they are yummy, but they are not as good as this cake! Thanks again =)
We love this recipe so much. Just putting one up in the freezer for when baby comes. I always double the topping because it is sooooo good.
Have made this recipe three times since Christmas Eve. Delicious every time. Best when warm. Make sure that you use a real orange juice and the orange zest. Another delicious Sally recipe! Family raved!
How does this compare to the orange cranberry muffins if I made these as muffins instead of a cake?
Hi Keli, If you want muffins, we recommend sticking with the cranberry orange muffins, and you can use this crumb topping with that recipe. Let us know if you give it a try!
Can I keep the raw batter of the recipe in the refrigerator and bake it the next one to two days later?
Hi Kathy, we don’t recommend it. The leaveners are activated once the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together, so it’s best to bake the batter right away or the rise and texture will be compromised. Hope this helps!
(I forgot to rate it! *face palm)
This recipe is so flexible and forgiving! I made 3 small loaves the first time, and they turned out great. I doubled it the second time and made 3 small loaves, 12 muffins, and 8 tiny muffins. They ALL turned out perfectly! Sally, you are brilliant, generous, and wildly talented! Thank you SO MUCH for your expertise and vast library of wonderful recipes that ALWAYS turn out beautifully!
Thank you so much for your kind words!
Made this for my Christmas party for our book club. EVERYONE loved it. I served it w/whipped cream but plan to do as a coffee cake for Christmas morning. I did NOT use the icing – thought it had plenty,…I was right, it was superb without it.
I made this for Christmas breakfast last year and it was a HIT. My group is a little larger this year and I was thinking about making it in a Bundt—any clue as to whether a Bundt would hold a recipe and a half of this cake?
Hi Sarah! We aren’t sure how many batches of this recipe you would need for a Bundt Cake. You may love our cranberry orange Bundt Cake!
Can I replace the pecas with some other dried fruit?
Thanks
Hi Gaby, that should work just fine. Enjoy!
Absolutely delicious! It’s a keeper. I definitely will make for Christmas morning.
Thank you for inspiring delightful baking.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but wondered if it could be baked in the mini loaf pans? I bake for Christmas and give away.
Hi Nicki, this recipe should work well in mini loaf pans. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Can Cranberry Pecan cake be made gluten free?
Hi Julia! We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flours, but some readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup). If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Delicious!!! I made this as a coffee cake for my family’s brunch without having made it before. I knew I could trust Sally’s recipe to be spot on because they always are! I so appreciate having a trusted source of tasty delights that I can pull off being a novice baker. Thank you so much!
Can I use margarine instead of butter my daughter can’t eat milk products
Hi Mary, we don’t recommend margarine, but you could try a plant-based butter instead. We haven’t tested it ourselves to know the exact results, but please do let us know if you try it.
I was wondering if you can make cupcakes with this recipe?
Hi Patti, that should work just fine! We’re unsure of the best bake time.
Yum! However, my cranberries mostly sunk to the bottom. What could I do differently?
Hi Whitney, if you wish to make it again, you can try tossing the cranberries in a bit of flour before adding to the batter. This will help with any excess sinking. We’re so glad you enjoyed the cake!
This cake is beautiful and delicious! Your instructions are the perfect guide since I really only back on holidays: I need the explicitness of “the batter will be thick” because it gives me confidence (or pause) to continue you on! My family thanks you, too.
Hi Sally:
What other fruit can be substituted please? Family can’t do cranberries…
HI Jenn For heavier berries such as blueberries or raspberries, we recommend 1 and 1/2 cups. If you use apples, 2 cups chopped would be fine. Anywhere between 1.5-2 cups fruit is great.
Followed recipe soooo good
Wonderful recipe! I used room temp ricotta because I forgot to buy sour cream and I had it on hand. Worked great!