This post may contain affiliate links. Please see myย disclosure policy
This Cranberry Breakfast Cake is the perfect breakfast, snack or dessert for the holidays. Fresh cranberries and almond extract are such a great pair for this soft, tender, and delicious cake.

The holidays are a busy time of year, so having a few staple recipes you can make in no time if you have a house full of people are a must! This breakfast cake is definitely fitting for breakfast or brunch, but can also work for an afternoon snack or even dessert.
This is based off of my Blueberry Breakfast Cake that has been on my site since 2012, but for this I used fresh cranberries. You really could use most fruits or berries in this recipe. Cranberries just make it festive for the holidays!
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Breakfast Cake
- Fresh Cranberries – this is a great use of fresh cranberries. You can use frozen if you are making it out of season, but we all seem to have an extra bag sitting in our fridge this time of year, so this is a great use for it!
- Easy – I am all about easy, and this cake has no layers, a mixer does all the work to bring the batter together, and then it bakes in a single 8-inch baking pan.
- Multipurpose – Yes, it is called cake, which implies dessert. But it is one of those, like a Coffee Cake that you really could serve for breakfast, brunch, snack time with a cup of coffee or break out for dessert. Very versatile and you are going to be making it again and again.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Butter – you want room temperature butter, I always bake with unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Cranberries
- Vanilla Yogurt – buttermilk works as well
How To Make Cranberry Breakfast Cake
- Mix Wet Ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar together until it is nice and fluffy. Beat in egg, and both extracts until everything is fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl combine the cranberries with 1/4 cup flour, tossing to fully coat.
- Combine. Add remaining flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture. Stir in the yogurt until well combined.
- Add Berries. Using a spatula, gently fold in the cranberries and the flour until they are evenly distributed.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. It will be a little sticky. If you get your hand damp, you can use them to evenly spread out the dough. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the batter.
- Bake. Place pan in the hot oven and bake until the cake starts to turn golden brown and a tester comes out mostly clean. Remove and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Pull out your butter to soften the night before, or soften it carefully in the microwave (you don’t want to melt it!).
- Prepare your baking pan before you start mixing, so it’s ready when your batter is.
- For even more crunch on top, try sprinkling with coarse sanding sugar instead of regular sugar.
Can I Use Frozen Cranberries
I like fresh cranberries better, but frozen berries work as well. I think it works best to thaw them first, so they don’t “bleed” quite as much. It is super easy to just leave them out overnight in the fridge, or put the bag under cold running water until they’re ready. Drain off the excess liquid and pat the berries dry with a paper towel before tossing with the flour and adding to the recipe.
Storage
Store leftover cranberry breakfast cake in an airtight container for 2-3 days. It does not need to be placed in the fridge, but it will last an extra day if you do store it chilled. You can reheat in the microwave if you want a warmed slice of cake.
More Delicious Holiday Breakfast Recipes
- Gingerbread Pancakes
- Eggnog French Toast
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Eggnog Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Eggnog Coffee Cake
- Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
- Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls
Cranberry Breakfast Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 whole large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, or buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Prepare a 9 in baking pan with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick spray.
- In an electric mixer, cream together butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond extract until the egg is fully incorporated
- In a separate bowl combine the cranberries with 1/4 cup flour, tossing to fully coat.
- Add remaining flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture. Stir in the yogurt until well combined.
- Using a spatula fold in the cranberries until evenly distributed
- Pour batter into prepared pan. It will be a little sticky. If you get your hand damp, you can use them to evenly spread out the dough. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake starts to turn golden brown. A toothpick inserted should come out clean when done.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I created a fun group on Facebook,and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can
share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and
tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS
recipes YOU make!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you
never miss a post!
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Did you know there is a Dinners,
Dishes, and Desserts SHOP? Lots of different E-Books for sale. Or you can buy me a
coffee to say thanks!
.
Oh, that looks so good! This is the perfect special breakfast for Christmas morning or just the holiday season in general. I have to try it!
I would love this for breakfast! It looks and sounds amazing!
I am drooling over this breakfast cake! I would like to wake up with this delicious cranberry treat!
This breakfast cake is SO delicious!
This looks absolutely perfect for the holiday season
Can you double this recipe and put in 9 x 13 pan? Would that work and about how long to cook? Thanks so much, this sound so delicious!
Yes you can. I am not sure on the baking time as I haven’t tested it, but I would start testing around the 40 minute mark to see how much more time it needs.