Easy Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake

Cranberry sauce isn’t just for piling on your holiday turkey. It’s also super delicious swirled into this moist cranberry coffee cake!

That’s right. For this recipe, I’ve subbed in leftover homemade cranberry sauce for fruit jam, which is traditionally used in coffee cake. And then I’ve topped it with a pile of buttery shortbread crumbles and a drizzle of tangy orange glaze. And it’s so good!

Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe

I just hate wasting my holiday leftovers! And sure, it’s easy to use up all the extra stuffing and turkey. But the cranberry sauce?

That’s why I love this cranberry coffee cake recipe! The easy-to-make cake is bursting with bright fruity flavors and makes a great brunch dish or snack.

The single-layer cake is super tender thanks to the buttermilk and orange zest in the batter. Plus, it gets a major boost of flavor from the cranberry sauce. And those citrusy, buttery shortbread crumbles are to die for!

The cake is then finished with an optional orange glaze. It is delicious on its own but the sweet drizzle does take it to the next level!

The cake can be made several hours before you plan to serve it. Just store it covered at room temperature. Or you can eat it warm from the oven. Just remember that if your cake is warm, it will absorb the glaze.

How to Make Cranberry Coffee Cake

Here are some things to know before making this cranberry coffee cake:

• THE PAN: For this recipe, I recommend using an 8-inch round cake pan or an 8″ x 2″ springform pan.  A springform pan is perfect for this recipe because you get the cake out of the pan without having to flip it over (and disturb the crumble crust!).
• THE CRANBERRY SAUCE: This recipe calls for fresh, homemade cranberry sauce, not the canned jelly. I’ve added a recipe in the notes.
• DAIRY INGREDIENTS: Make sure to use room temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk. I understand that it’s so tempting to skip this step. But room temperature ingredients really will give you a moister, fluffier cake (it’s a science thing).
• THE GLAZE: The orange glaze drizzle is optional. The cake is super yummy on its own. But the drizzle is so good! It adds another layer of delicious sweet tanginess.

A Few More Recipe Tips

• SUGARED CRANBERRIES: If you want to garnish your cranberry cake with sugared cranberries, here’s what you’ll need to do. Make a simple syrup by completely melting a cup of sugar in a cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. You just want to dissolve the sugar (don’t boil). Let cool to room temperature, and then add fresh cranberries to the simple syrup to coat. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let them cool for 45 minutes on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet or parchment paper. When ready, roll the cranberries in granulated sugar. And they’re ready to use!
• THE JAM SWIRL: Your swirl might look a bit subtle, and that’s ok. Some of the jam, and its vibrant color, will be absorbed during the baking process. But the cake will still retain some of the jam’s yummy fruit flavor!
• SERVING: This cranberry coffee cake can be served warm from the oven. Just make sure to cool it enough, so the warm cake doesn’t absorb all the glaze. You can also make the cake several hours ahead of time and just store it covered at room temperature until ready to serve.

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Easy Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake

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• Author: Laura | Growing Up Cali
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8–10 servings 1x

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Description

This delicious, moist orange and cranberry coffee cake recipe is the sweetest way to use up all that leftover holiday cranberry sauce!

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Ingredients

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For the Crumb Topping:

• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

For the Cake:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 1/2 cups (195 gm) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup full-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup leftover cranberry sauce

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare the Crumble:

1. Stir together the melted and cooled butter and orange juice in a small bowl. Add the sugar and salt, and stir to combine. Then, mix in the flour until just combined. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the cake.

Make the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch pan (or springform pan) with baking spray and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla, and orange zest and beat to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Mix in 1/2 cup of the flour, along with the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt. Mix on low until just combined.
4. Stir in the buttermilk and then, using a low speed, add the remaining flour just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Spread about 2/3 of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon dollops of the cranberry sauce over top of the batter, leaving a 1-inch border around the perimeter of the cake. Then, using the blade of a knife, a toothpick, or a skewer, make a shallow swirl patter the preserves. It doesn’t have to be in any specific pattern. It’s just to help keep the sauce from sinking to the bottom of your cake during the baking process.
6. Add the remaining batter on top and sprinkle the whole thing with the crumbles, breaking up any big clumps into a crumb size you prefer.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes, or until the top is puffed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

Make the Glaze:

1. While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze by whisking together all the ingredients until a thick glaze forms. Add more powdered sugar to thicken it up, if needed. Or add a bit more sour cream or lemon juice to thin it out. When the cake has cooled to room temperature and/or you’re ready to serve the cake, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Add your preferred garnishes and serve.

Notes

• QUICK & EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE: You can use any homemade cranberry sauce in this recipe. But if you need to make some, here’s my favorite recipe. Add 4 cups of rinsed, fresh cranberries to a medium-sized saucepan. Add 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest, and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Simmer, occasionally stirring, until the liquid has reduced and the cranberries have popped and started to break down, about 10 minutes. Let cool before using.
• SUGARED CRANBERRIES: If you want to garnish your cranberry cake with sugared cranberries, here’s what you’ll need to do. Make a simple syrup by completely melting a cup of sugar in a cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. You just want to dissolve the sugar (don’t boil). Let cool to room temperature, and then add fresh cranberries to the simple syrup to coat. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let them cool for 45 minutes on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet or parchment paper. When ready, roll the cranberries in granulated sugar. And they’re ready to use!

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Bake