This orange cranberry pound cake is moist, flavorful and easy to make. It’s flavored with fresh orange zest and filled with cranberry sauce. This festive cake is perfect for Christmas breakfast or dessert.
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This cranberry orange pound cake is so fresh tasting and delicious. It has cranberry sauce swirled throughout. This recipe is simple to make and perfect for the holidays.
I make this cake using leftover cranberry sauce every year after Thanksgiving. Use leftover cranberry sauce or storebought sauce to make this cake. I’ve also included an easy cranberry sauce recipe if you’d like to make your own.
For more cranberry recipes, try my Cranberry Almond Ricotta Cake, cranberry curd tart, and my cranberry white chocolate scones.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- It looks fancy, but it is simple to make. The batter and icing are made with pantry friendly ingredients.
- This cranberry orange cream cheese pound cake is perfect for the holidays! For another holiday brunch treat, try my Christmas donuts recipe.
- You will love the taste of the homemade cranberry sauce swirled throughout. For another delicious cranberry cake, you’ll love my Christmas cranberry cake.
- The orange icing is simple to make and adds the perfect sweet finishing touch!
Ingredients
Below are useful notes about some of the ingredients for this cranberry orange cream cheese pound cake.
- Cranberries: Cranberries are a small, tart fruit. I love the tart, sweet, fresh flavor they add to desserts! Use fresh or frozen cranberries to make the sauce. Try my lemon cranberry bars for another flavorful cranberry treat!
- Butter: Use unsalted, room temperature butter.
- Cream cheese: Use full fat, room temperature cream cheese. Use the type of cream cheese that comes in a brick, not in a tub.
- Orange zest and orange juice: Cranberries and orange are such a good combination. There is orange in the cranberry sauce, cake and icing. Be sure to try my cranberry shortbread cookies if you love this combination!
- Cornstarch: For thickening the sauce.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon deepens the flavor of the cranberry sauce.
Please see recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use store bought cranberry sauce instead of homemade or leftover cranberry sauce. You’ll need about 2/3 cup of cranberry sauce to make this cake.
- Instead of orange zest and orange juice, use lemon zest and lemon juice.
- If you have a chocolate fan in the house, make my chocolate chip pound cake loaf!
How to Make Cranberry Orange Pound Cake
Quick Video Recap
Instructions
Step 1: (Photo 1 above) Zest the orange. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Bring 1/4 cup water, orange juice, cinnamon stick and sugar to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cranberries and cornstarch. Stir constantly over a simmer until thickened. Allow to cool.
Step 2: (Photo 2 above) Beat the butter and cream cheese til pale in color. Mix in the sugar.
Step 3: (Photo 3 above). Add the eggs one at a time. Next, mix in the vanilla and orange zest.
Step 4: (Photo 4 above) Add the dry ingredients until just combined.
Step 5 (Photo 5 above). Spoon 1/3 batter into a loaf pan. Spread 1/3 cup cranberry sauce evenly over top of the batter.
Step 6: (Photo 6 above) Spread another 1/3 of the batter on top. Spread another 1/3 cup cranberry sauce over the batter. (You’ll have leftover cranberry sauce.) Top with the rest of the cake batter.
Step 7: (Photo 7 above). Run a knife or skewer through the batter in a swirling motion. Drag the knife side to side from the top to the bottom of the pan.
Step 8: (Photo 8 above). Bake at 335 F 60-70 minutes until the cake is a toothpick comes out mostly clean inserted in the center of the cake. Cool completely before icing. To make the icing, add the powdered sugar to a bowl. Whisk in the orange juice and zest until desired consistency is achieved.
Hint: Use an offset spatula to spread the layers of cranberry sauce and cake batter.
Expert Tips
- Make sure your cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature before using.
- Make sure cranberry sauce is spreadable. If you are using store bought cranberry sauce, stir it in a bowl to make it spreadable. If needed, microwave it for 10 seconds at a time just until it’s spreadable.
- The leftover cranberry sauce is perfect on a cheese board or added to sandwiches.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Be sure to give store bought cranberry sauce a stir so that it is spreadable.
Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread the sauce over the batter.
Store this cranberry pound cake with orange glaze in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 30 days. Let thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Top with icing after thawing.
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Orange Cranberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
Cranberry Sauce
- 2 cups (200 g) cranberries fresh or frozen
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar or more, to taste
- ¼ cup (78.86 ml) water plus 3 tablespoons water for the cornstarch
- 1 (1) cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) orange juice
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) orange zest
Pound Cake
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp (½ tsp) salt
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese full fat, brick style, room temperature
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 4 (4) large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) orange zest
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
Orange Icing
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 -2 tablespoons (1 -2 tablespoons) orange juice add 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) orange zest
Instructions
Cranberry Sauce
- Zest the orange. Set zest aside. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Set aside.
- Add the ¼ cup water, orange juice, cinnamon stick, and sugar to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Add cranberries and pour in the cornstarch mixture. Simmer 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat. Remove cinnamon stick and stir in orange zest. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the cake batter.
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 335 F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- With a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until creamy and light. Add the sugar and beat an additional minute until slightly fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the orange zest and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients. Beat until dry ingredients are just incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Spread 1/3 of the batter in the prepared loaf pan. Spoon 1/3 cup cranberry sauce over the top and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges so the sauce doesn’t touch the pan. Spread another 1/3 of the batter over the sauce to cover it completely. Spread another 1/3 cup cranberry sauce on top, again leaving a 1/4-inch border, then cover with the remaining 1/3 of the batter.
- Stick a knife or skewer in the batter almost to the bottom of the pan. Run the knife or skewer through the batter in a swirling motion going from side to side from the top to the bottom of the pan. Rotate the pan 45 degrees and run the knife through the batter side to side from top to bottom one more time. Be careful not to overswirl.
- Bake 60–70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Remove the cake from the oven and set on a cooling rack to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out and allow it to cool completely on the rack. Cool completely before icing.
Orange Icing
- Add the powdered sugar to a medium sized bowl. Whisk in the orange juice until desired consistency is achieved. Add the orange zest and whisk til combined. Pour or spread the icing over the cake. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Lindsay
Quick question – if I wanted to make this in a bundt pan, should I double the recipe?
Natalie
Hi Lindsay, Hmmm unfortunately I haven’t made this in a bundt pan but I think it should be okay. I wouldn’t recommend doubling the recipe for one bundt pan (it would be too much batter for the pan). Please let me know if you have any other questions! -Natalie
Alexandra
I made this cake for a work breakfast. My partner and I sampled a “tiny slice” and voila, we ate so much of it that I had to make a batch of cookies for work instead!
The layering is delicious, such a fluffy sponge too. I actually strained the cranberries (as per Natalie’s recipe for the cranberry curd pie which I have also made, and was also brilliant!) which made the sauce/ jam/ compote a little smoother.
Another wonderful bake from Natalie: Thank you!
Natalie
Yay!! Thank you so much, Alexandra! Haha that’s always a good sign when a tiny slice turns into more haha Straining the cranberries is such a good idea and I’m so flattered and grateful you love my recipes. Have a great day!!
Kristie
This cake was amazing! I followed all of your directions and it turned out perfectly. I’ll definitely be adding this delicious treat to our holiday menus each year. Thanks so much!
Natalie
Hi Kristie, I’m SO happy you enjoyed this cake and love that it’ll have a spot in your holiday menus every year! Happy Holidays! xo Natalie
Cathy Podiak
This is delicious. I used leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving and made these in 3 small loaf pans.
Definitely a keeper. Thank you.
Natalie
Thanks so much for making this recipe, Cathy! Love that you made it with leftover cranberry sauce and great idea to make them in 3 small loaf pans. Thanks for your comment. Happy holidays!
Rachelle
I made this Cake for friends I had over for dinner last night! Turned out amazing.
Thank you for a great recipe.
Natalie
Thank you for making this cake recipe Rachelle and for your review 🙂 So happy you enjoyed it!
Amie Shah
I have made this recipe several times and the taste is amazing. My only issue is the center just takes forever to cook. Over an hour and twenty and the center is still mushy. Is this normal?
Natalie
Hi Amie, So sorry for the late response. I’m so happy you enjoyed this cake, but sorry to hear about the center. I always appreciate feedback to improve my recipes, so will retest the recipe soon and adjust the recipe if needed. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Melissa
Just finished making this for Thanksgiving. Gosh even the batter of this recipe is delicious 😋 🤣 Thank you for this recipe.
Natalie
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much for making this recipe for Thanksgiving! I’m so happy you enjoyed it thanks for taking the time to leave a review!! Have the best week:) -Natalie
Sumayyah
Hello
If possible Can you convert the recipe into grams and what will be the measurements for each ingredient. I live in the uk and grams is what we use when baking
Natalie
Hi Sumayyah, Thanks for your comment. All my newer recipes have measurements in grams and cups to make it easier for everyone to access the recipes. I will work on getting all the recipes converted as well. Thanks again for your feedback. Have a nice week!
Rena
what are the steps if your are using can cranberry sauce?
Natalie
Hi Rena,
If you’re using canned cranberry sauce, put it in a bowl and give it a good stir or try to mash it up a bit. You could also warm it for ten second bursts in the microwave just to loosen it up a little so that it’s a bit more spreadable over the batter. Please let me know if you have any other questions 🙂 -Natalie
Robin
Made this for our annual “Thanksgiving Repurposed Leftovers” pot luck. Wonderful! As I didn’t have any cream cheese, I subbed with ricotta.
Natalie
Hi Robin! Thank you so much for making this and for taking the time to comment! So happy to hear you included it in your Thanksgiving Repurposed Leftovers pot luck! Sounds like the perfect recipe for that fun event! Great to know ricotta worked here! Thanks again 🙂 Natalie
Rachel Mathews
Hi Natalie,
Can I make this in a square or round cake pan instead of a loaf pan? This could be lovely as a “naked” cake this Christmas!
Natalie
Hi Rachel! That’s a great question. I haven’t tried this cake in a square or round cake pan yet, so can’t say for sure. I wish I could say for sure and wish I could be more of a help. Please let me know if you have any other questions and if you try the cake in another size pan! 🙂 -Natalie
Barbara Briggs Ward
Absolutely beautiful presentation. Love the ingredients.
Natalie
Thank you for your comment! So happy you love the ingredients. It’s such a delicious recipe!
Natalie
Hi Tristan! Thank you so much for making this and taking the time to comment! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂 Natalie
Dee
Can I freeze this? It looks delicious.
Natalie
Hi Dee! Yes you can freeze it. I would suggest wrapping it in a couple of layers of plastic wrap as well as a layer of aluminum foil and it can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the plastic wrap and foil overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving. Please let me know if you have any other questions! It’s so delicious and I’m excited for you to try it 🙂 Natalie
Natalie
Hi Angela, I’m so sorry the cake didn’t turn out for you. I would suggest spreading a thin layer of cranberry sauce rather than using half for each layer. I haven’t heard of anyone else having this problem, but I will also retest the recipe myself to see if there’s something I need to fix! So sorry again that it didn’t turn out for you and thank you for taking the time to comment! -Natalie