This Cranberry Christmas Cake with Butter Cream Sauce recipe is a longtime family tradition. Tender, tart cranberries + sweet butter cream = irresistible!
Cranberry Christmas Cake is a Family Tradition
I love how favorite recipes get handed down through family and friends, leaving a trail of happy tummies along the way. Sharing recipes is a wonderful thing. And this Cranberry Christmas Cake with Butter Cream Sauce is the perfect example.
My uncle and aunt, Dale and Donna, just celebrated 50 years of marriage. Wahoo!! And this cranberry dessert recipe goes way back to when they were dating.
The story goes that Dale’s aunt Evel made this cranberry cake for Thanksgiving. And it left quite the impression on Donna. She liked it so much that, after marrying Dale in 1970, she started a family tradition of making this cake for her own side of the family.
MY side of the family. Lucky me!!
The holidays just wouldn’t be the same without this pretty, festive Christmas cake.
The cake is dense and moist, with bites of tender, tart cranberries. And while it isn’t particularly sweet all on its own, the simple butter cream sauce is where you can sweeten up this dessert – add as little or as much as you like over your own individual piece. Trust me, you’ll want to drink the sauce – it’s sweet and creamy and absolutely yummy!
Wouldn’t this be a great addition to your holiday gatherings, too? Please give it a try. I know that aunt Donna would smile to know the Cranberry Christmas Cake trail lives on!
Ingredients for this Recipe
You’re going to appreciate this. A super easy homemade cake recipe that uses common baking ingredients, plus a very special holiday guest – fresh cranberries! I love this time of year!!
For the cranberry Christmas cake and the butter cream sauce, you will need:
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- salt
- whole fresh cranberries – I LOVE how they soften and burst in the cake when they’re baked!
- milk
- butter
- heavy cream
How to Make This Cake
Prep: Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
Mix: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add cranberries, milk, and melted butter to dry ingredients and mix well. The batter will be quite thick.
Spread: Pour cake batter into pan.
Bake: Place in oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
Time to Make the Butter Cream Sauce: So exciting! While the cake is cooling, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and cream, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
How to Serve this Cranberry Dessert
Cut: Slice the cake into individual pieces. I like to be fairly generous with the portions (because everyone loves this cake!), often cutting a 9″ x 13″ pan into 15 pieces. But you could cut the pieces smaller if you like, to easily create 20 servings.
Grab dessert dishes: Place individual pieces of cake onto small plates or dessert bowls. If you have dishes with a shallow bowl shape, that is perfect. This allows the warm butter cream sauce to pool around the cake and soak into it more!
Pour: I LOVE this part! Pour that wonderful warm butter cream sauce over each piece of cake. Let it pool around the base of the cake. Some people will like less, some people will like more.
Me? I’m definitely in the “more” category!
Garnish: And the grand finale. Garnish the cake with beautiful pops of Sugared Cranberries.
This is not part of my aunt’s original recipe. It’s something I’ve added in recent years. The cranberries are amazing all on their own, but add an especially festive touch to this Christmas cake…and so many other dishes during the holidays!
A new Christmas tradition for you? I sure hope so!
FAQ’s and Tips
Can I use frozen cranberries? Yes, frozen fresh cranberries will work for this cake. When cranberries are in season, I often buy an extra bag or two and throw them in the freezer for later. Just know that when stirring the frozen cranberries into the dough, the dough will become super cold and will feel very stiff.
Can I use other berries? Blueberries also work well with this recipe. Although, I still highly recommend using cranberries during the holidays – they just beg for Christmas!
Can I add other flavors? I know many people who like to stir some fresh orange zest into their cranberry Christmas cake batter. It’s really lovely, I have to agree.
How to store? If serving this cake the same day it’s baked, just let it sit on the counter, uncovered. Otherwise store in the refrigerator, covered, for a day or two. Let cake come to room temperature before serving. Always store the butter cream sauce in the refrigerator and heat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until just warmed.
Can I freeze this cake? Yes, you can. Bake, let cool, cover, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator and let come to room temperature when serving.
Like this recipe? Save it to Pinterest!
Cranberry Christmas Cake
Ingredients
for the cake:
- 4 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 c. sugar
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 4 c. whole fresh cranberries
- 2 c. milk
- 6 T. butter melted
for the butter cream sauce:
- ¾ c. butter
- 1.5 c. sugar
- 1 c. + 2 T. heavy cream
optional garnish:
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add cranberries, milk, and melted butter to dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove pan to a wire rack to cool.
For the Buttercream Sauce
- Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add sugar and cream, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
To Serve
- Place individual pieces of cake onto small plates or dessert bowls. Pour warm butter cream sauce over pieces of cake. Garnish with , if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Photos by Molly from Yes to Yolks.
This post was originally published in 2010, and then updated in 2020.
Excellent recipe, thank you! :)
This sounds wonderful. I love anything cranberry!! But where’s the “save” button for this one? I must have this in my file!! :o) Thanks for the awesome recipes…..I can’t get enough.
Hi Linda! I just updated the recipe to include the save function. Hope you like it!! :)
Thanks Brenda! I am going to make it this weekend! Happy New Year!
This is a recipe that has been in my family as well! The only difference is mine has vanilla in it. I think it may be a Minnesota thing :) originally from SW Minnesota, live in Colorado now and love sharing the recipe with friends! Had a pinterest party and this was my favor, made it in little bread pans!
I love the idea of baking these in small bread pans, thanks! And I love vanilla…can’t believe I haven’t just added that myself! Just staying true to my aunt’s recipe. ;)
Another recipe I have to make! Yesterday I made my third batch of your Mom’s Butter Toffee recipe to give to friends and family this weekend. I’ll be making this cake later today. I just love being in the kitchen this time of year! Thanks~
Wow, Debbie! Your third batch?! I LOVE it!! It’s so wonderful to hear that you’re gifting that butter toffee goodness. Hope you enjoyed the cranberry cake, too!
This is so funny…. Earlier today I put all the ingredients on my grocery list to make a similar version of this cake from my aunt. :) Including butter sauce. That’s the best part!
What a beautiful recipe and post!
Thank you, Amanda! Seems like alot of people have this recipe in some form or another, but it’s one of my favorites, just the same. Such a special family recipe. Merry Christmas to you and your family!! xoxo
Thank you for sharing the story and the recipe. My wife from St. Cloud MN introduced me to this cake when we were married. It was something her mother made every Christmas. We now have it every year. I have played with the receipe a bit but it really is perfect just they way you have it here.
I’m so happy to hear everyone who loves this cake as much as I do!! Hope you were able to enjoy some for Christmas.
B-
My Mom has been making this same cake every Christmas. I just finally made it myself for the early family Cornell Christmas. Never leaves anyone unsatisfied…..except asking for more of the same thing! I think it’s my favorite dessert. Even before Tres Leches cake!
Wow, Meghan, I had no idea we enjoy the same cake every Christmas! (And now I’m hungry for Tres Leches!!) Merry Christmas, dear friend.
I made this yesterday and it was sooo easy and sooo delicious! It’s a do-over for sure!!
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know, Leann.
I love the idea of the vanilla almond alternative to hot chocolate. I love anything vanilla so think when this next cold front hits I will be making this!
Thanks – great to see you again!
This looks like it will be yummy. Can I use frozen cranberries instead?
I have never tried frozen, but I think it would be worth a try. I would try the cranberries straight from the freezer (don’t thaw). Thanks for visiting!
What an absolutely scrumptious dessert! Cranberries and a butter sauce – I’m in love. I can’t wait to give this a try.
Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Tanya – enjoy!!
Butter cream sauce?? Sounds perfectly decadent!
Thanks for visiting, Tiffany!
Hi Brenda, What a lovely surprise to see the beautiful cranberry cake. You do such an awesome job. I’m making it to take to Patsy and Elroys’s for Christmas. Have a great trip.
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! No eggs, no vanilla or any other extract…amazing that it’s this delicious. With no eggs, I was wondering what was going to hold this cake together – pure magic, that’s what! This recipe is a keeper for sure! It’s so simple, too. No mixer/beaters to wash. Just mix it in a large bowl with a big spoon. I’m looking forward to trying this recipe with some other fresh berries, but I gotta say, the FRESH cranberries really, really make this cake! Our charteryacht guests are sure to enjoy. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Angela – enjoy!
What a delightful cake! I love cranberries and the butter cream sauce sounds perfect.
Hi Annie – thank you, and great to hear from you!
A lovely story and a beautiful cake. Loved your sentence …*leaving a trail of happy tummies…*
Hello, dear Paula!!
This cake is beautiful and so festive looking. I can’t wait to try it. If it’s Donna’s recipe, it’s delicious!
“Delicious” is really an understatement – I’m so glad Donna has made this recipe what it is to our family. Great to hear from you, Leann!
I love this story! The cake looks pretty awesome too!
Hello Debi – thank you, and thanks for visiting!
My Aunt Judy says she got my Uncle Paul to propose to her after making this cake for him. They call it the “Engagement Cake” Yum. It’s a winner. Thanks for sharing your story and the recipe!!
Hmmm…I’ll have to ask Dale and Donna if that’s what prompted their engagement! :) Thanks for stopping by, Kelli!