Description
This Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake combines a tender, moist crumb with a tangy burst of cranberries and the bright zest of fresh oranges. Topped with a spiced streusel and finished with a luscious orange glaze, it’s a perfect treat for brunch or a cozy coffee break.
Ingredients
Streusel
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Orange Glaze
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour a 10-inch bundt cake pan thoroughly to prevent sticking; avoid using cooking spray for best results.
- Make the streusel: In a bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Add cold butter pieces and mix with hands until the mixture resembles coarse sand with tiny butter pieces dispersed.
- Prepare cake sugar: Rub the 1 ½ cups sugar together with the freshly grated orange zest until combined and fragrant.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar: In the electric mixer bowl, beat softened butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the orange sugar mixture and beat for 4 to 5 minutes until fluffy, scraping the bowl sides as needed.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add eggs one at a time, beating for about one minute after each addition. Then mix in vanilla extract thoroughly.
- Add yogurt: Beat in the plain Greek yogurt, scraping sides occasionally to ensure even mixing.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: On low speed, gradually add the dry flour mixture until just incorporated. Do not overmix. Gently fold in fresh or frozen cranberries.
- Assemble cake: Spoon half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle two-thirds of the streusel evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top, then swirl in the rest of the streusel with a knife for marbled pockets of streusel.
- Bake: Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. The full 55 minutes is typically needed for perfect doneness.
- Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then invert onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely without moving it prematurely to prevent breaking.
- Make the orange glaze: Whisk together freshly squeezed orange juice, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until completely smooth.
- Glaze and serve: Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the orange glaze over the top and let it set for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Using butter and flour instead of cooking spray for pan preparation ensures better texture and prevents sticking.
- Adding orange zest to the sugar enhances the citrus flavor throughout the cake.
- Gently fold in cranberries to avoid breaking them up too much.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
- The streusel adds a delicious texture contrast and slight bitterness from cocoa and espresso powders.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
