This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Cranberry Almond Breakfast Cake ~ Lightly sweet, moist and delicious, this easy treat is perfect as a breakfast (coffee) cake, a light dessert after lunch or an anytime snack cake.
Are you having out-of-town company for the holidays? Do you have every bedroom, nook and cranny filled with your favorite relatives? Sounds like fun! But I think you’re going to need this recipe for cranberry almond breakfast cake because it’s perfect as a breakfast (coffee) cake, snack cake, light dessert after lunch or even a midnight nibble. Your guests will be hungry and this deliciously moist, lightly sweet cake will fit into any menu. And bonus, it’s so easy to make!
Cranberries are at their best around the holidays.
Cranberries are from the same family as the blueberry and are common to North America. According to an article on Healthline, cranberries are a rich source of several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C. “If consumed regularly, cranberries or cranberry juice may reduce your risk of stomach cancer. The juice and extract also improve several risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol levels and blood pressure.”
How do you store fresh cranberries?
Store fresh cranberries sealed in a bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks, or freeze for longer storage. Well sealed frozen cranberries will keep for 10 to 12 months. Grab a few extra bags during the peak season and have cranberries all year long! This is one fruit you can stockpile so no worries 🙂 Buy cranberries while they’re fresh and tart and bursting with flavor!
For an easy and festive decoration add sugared cranberries on top of your almond breakfast cake.
We all love this almond breakfast cake and I can attest that eaten slightly warm, it is amazing. I prefer a cake that’s not cloyingly sweet and especially love one where the fruit retains its natural robust flavor. Click HERE to get the recipe with easy instructions for How to Make Sugared Cranberries.
What is almond paste and where can you buy it?
Grated almond paste gives this cake a distinct flavor and a moist texture while not overpowering the cranberries. Did I mention that it’s wonderfully delicious? Almond paste is readily available in the baking section of your grocery store. It typically comes in a small box and keeps well for months. Almond paste is made with ground almonds and sugar and sometimes additional binders like egg whites. You can even make almond paste from scratch at home! For this recipe we freeze the almond paste and grate it on a large box grater before adding it to the batter of our almond breakfast cake. You’re going to love the flavor!
Fresh cranberries are a great addition to many baked good.
Cranberries bring a tart and flavorful bite to pies, breads and even muffins. This delicious fruit is very light so they don’t sink to the bottom of this almond breakfast cake. Enjoy!
Thanks for PINNING!
Let’s be baking friends! When you try our recipe please leave a comment on this post. If you loved this recipe we’d appreciate a 5-star rating! Sharing your experience, variations and insights will help all our readers, and it helps me too. If you’re on Pinterest feel free to leave a comment and photo there if you have one. If you share on INSTAGRAM tag @savingroomfordessert so we can stop by and give your post some love. And we’d be very happy if you’d FOLLOW Saving Room for Dessert on FACEBOOK| INSTAGRAM| PINTEREST | TWITTER and subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel for all the latest recipes, videos and updates. Thank you!!!
PRINT THE RECIPE!
Cranberry Almond Breakfast Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour divided (284g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 ounces unsalted butter room temperature (113g or 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (222g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup buttermilk well shaken (4oz)
- 2 cups fresh cranberries rinsed and spread on a paper towel to dry
- 3.5 ounces almond paste frozen (I used Odense Almond Paste) grated using the large-hole side of a box grater (½ of a 7 ounce package)
- 1 ½ teaspoons coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease and flour an 8-inch springform pan, set aside.
- In a small bowl combine 2 cups of flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and blend until combined. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat on low until incorporated. Add ⅓ of the buttermilk and blend until smooth. Repeat adding ⅓ of the flour and ⅓ of the buttermilk until both are incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
- In the small bowl used for the flour, add the cranberries and remaining ¼ cup flour. Gently toss together to coat. Set aside.
- Using a rubber spatula, add the grated almond paste until combined. Gently fold the cranberries and any extra flour into the batter taking care not to rupture the cranberries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar and bake in a 325°F preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
Recipe Notes
- DIY sugared cranberries recipe found HERE
Nutrition
Here are a few more recipes you might also enjoy:
Check out this post for How to Make Sugared Cranberries. Click HERE to get the easy step by step directions.
I’ve enjoyed baking with almond paste this past year and also love these delicious Cranberry Almond Scones. Click HERE to get the recipe for Cranberry Almond Scones.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Tricia
Dianne
Where do I find the metric conversion for this recipe?
Thank you !!
Tricia Buice
Hi Dianne. I updated the recipe with the weight measurements. Enjoy!
Sarah M
Can I use a 9 inch spring form pan?
Tricia Buice
Yes you can Sarah! Enjoy
Melissa
Can I use a bundle pan for the cranberry almond coffee cake?
Tricia Buice
Sure Melissa. I think that will be fine!
Lucy
I absolutely love this recipe. I first made it at Thanksgiving then again for Christmas.
It’s so delicious and moist. Now I’m craving it, but it’s summer time with no cranberries to be had. Do you think blueberries could be substituted?
Thank you
Tricia Buice
Hi Lucy! Thanks for the feedback. We love this breakfast cake, too. Yes – blueberries are wonderful in this cake. We have about a dozen different breakfast cake recipes on the blog. They’re all under the recipe index for breakfast. There is a recipe for every season 🙂 Enjoy!