Description
Sweet cranberry breakfast cake combines tart berries with a buttery crumb for a delightful morning treat. Homemade comfort emerges from simple ingredients that welcome morning gatherings with warmth and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (470 ml) whole cranberries (frozen works fine, but do not thaw)
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) half and half (or a combination of milk and cream)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp almond extract
- 2 tbsps sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Pan Preparation: Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, creating overhanging edges for effortless cake removal.
- Buttermilk Creation: Combine half and half with lemon juice, allowing it to curdle and develop a rich, tangy profile while preparing other ingredients.
- Butter Mixture: Cream softened butter and sugar until light, fluffy, and pale, approximately 4 minutes, ensuring thorough incorporation and scraping bowl sides.
- Wet Ingredient Integration: Blend egg, vanilla, and almond extracts into the butter mixture, achieving a smooth, homogeneous consistency.
- Dry Ingredient Incorporation: Gently fold baking powder and salt into the batter, maintaining a delicate texture and preventing overmixing.
- Batter Development: Alternatively add flour and buttermilk, stirring minimally to preserve the cake’s tender crumb and prevent gluten development.
- Cranberry Infusion: Tenderly fold fresh cranberries throughout the batter, distributing evenly without crushing the delicate fruit.
- Baking Preparation: Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the surface and artfully arranging additional cranberries on top for visual enhancement.
- Sugar Topping: Liberally sprinkle sparkling sugar across the surface to create a crystalline, golden crust.
- Baking Process: Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes, monitoring for a golden-brown surface and checking doneness with a toothpick.
- Cooling and Serving: Rest cake in pan for 15-20 minutes, then lift out using parchment paper. Slice and serve warm or allow to cool completely for a firmer texture.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir batter minimally to keep the cake tender and avoid developing tough gluten strands that can make the texture dense and chewy.
- Master Buttermilk Hack: Creating a homemade buttermilk substitute with half and half and lemon juice adds tanginess and helps activate baking powder for better rise.
- Cranberry Distribution Tip: Gently fold berries to prevent breaking, ensuring even spread throughout the cake for consistent bursts of fruity flavor in every bite.
- Sugar Crust Secret: Sprinkle sparkling sugar before baking to create a delightful, crispy top that adds texture and a subtle sweet crunch to the breakfast cake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg