Description
Ina Garten’s apple cranberry cake blends sweet and tart flavors in a perfectly spiced autumn dessert. Warm cinnamon and seasonal fruits create a comforting homemade treat you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) fresh cranberries, rinsed and stems removed
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ lb (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tbsp grated orange zest (from 2 oranges)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1–1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (divided)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Fruit Preparation: In a mixing bowl, combine cranberries, diced apples, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and ground cinnamon, allowing flavors to meld and intensify.
- Batter Creation: Whip eggs using an electric mixer until light and airy, gradually blending in granulated sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and sour cream until smoothly incorporated.
- Flour Integration: Gently fold in all-purpose flour and salt at low speed, maintaining a silky, uniform batter without overmixing.
- Fruit Layering: Spread the aromatic fruit mixture evenly across the bottom of a 10-inch glass pie plate, creating a vibrant foundation for the cake.
- Batter Covering: Pour the cake batter over the fruit layer, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Topping Finesse: Sprinkle a delicate mixture of remaining sugar and cinnamon across the batter’s surface for an extra touch of sweetness and spice.
- Baking Precision: Slide the pie plate into a 325°F (163°C) oven, baking for 55-60 minutes until the surface turns golden brown and fruit edges begin to bubble.
- Doneness Check: Insert a toothpick into the cake’s center; a clean removal indicates perfect baking.
- Serving Suggestion: Allow cake to cool slightly, then serve with a luxurious accompaniment of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert experience.
Notes
- Fruit Prep Matters: Dice apples and cranberries uniformly to ensure even distribution and consistent texture throughout the cake.
- Temperature Control: Use room temperature eggs and butter for smoother batter and more even mixing, which helps achieve a lighter cake texture.
- Gentle Folding Technique: Mix flour gently to prevent gluten development, keeping the cake tender and preventing a tough, dense result.
- Topping Tip: Sprinkle sugar-cinnamon mixture just before baking to create a delightful caramelized, slightly crispy top layer that adds extra flavor and visual appeal.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 34 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg