“Christmas my child is love in action, every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas” ~ Dale Evans

Giving, whether it’s a compliment or a gift, can make us feel pretty great. So today I give to you one of my favorite desserts for the holidays! The Organic Kitchen “Orange Cranberry Pound Cake” is a delicious cake that is perfect for special occasions.
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A slice of Orange Cranberry Pound Cake drizzled with orange glaze on white plate

The Cake:

Butter and cream cheese make for a very moist pound cake! Look at that texture! To prevent the dried cranberries from sucking the moisture out of this cake I chop them and then simmer them in freshly squeezed orange juice, until all the liquid is absorbed. Then I take them off heat and let them cool for at least a half hour (but you could wait up to 3 hours). This reconstitutes the cranberries so they are soft and sweet!

A close up of glaze on Orange Cranberry Pound Cake

 

The Flavor:

This is an orange cake so we use plenty of zest…I use a microplane to zest citrus. Simply scrape the skin till white is exposed, then move to a new area.

A microplane with orange zest in it next to an orange on a cutting board, Orange Cranberry Cake

The Glaze:

When making the glaze I can’t emphasize enough that it should be really thick. If the glaze isn’t thick enough it will run off the cake and pool on the platter. So be sure to follow the recipe instructions!

A woman pouring glaze over Orange Cranberry Pound Cake on a fancy cake plate

WANNA MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE? NO PROBLEM!

If gluten free living is your thang, you don’t have to sacrifice taste or texture. I use Gluten Free Jovial Pastry Flour, because it’s the best for baking and works perfectly in this decadent pumpkin bread. It’s also soaked for easy digestion!

A slice of Orange Cranberry Pound Cake

The Recipe: Orange Cranberry Pound Cake

You will need:  a bunt pan and a  microplane to zest citrus. Need to make this cake gluten free? I recoemmend Gluten Free Jovial Pastry Flour.

Orange Cranberry Pound Cake
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

This pound cake is unique and tasty. Serve warm or make a day ahead, it’s up to you. Either way, it’s delicious!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy dessert recipe, holiday recipe, party recipe
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Linda Spiker
Ingredients
Cake:
  • 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped small and then reconstituted
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 1/3 Cups flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter, two sticks, room temp
  • 6 oz cream cheese, room temp
  • 1 ¾ Cups sugar
  • freshly grated orange zest from two oranges
  • 4 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk (room temp)
Orange Glaze:
  • 2 Cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 T freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
Cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 325, use a paper towel to butter a bunt pan and coat lighlty with flour
  2. Put chopped cranberries and fresh orange juice in a small pot and heat till orange juice is simmering. Simmer for 10 minutes (or until most of the liquid is absorbed), turn off heat and allow cranberries to rest in juice until cool (at least a half hour)
  3. Measure flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and set aside.

  4. In a mixer, mix butter and cream cheese till smooth. Add eggs and mix till combined.

  5. Add sugar and orange zest, mix until well incorporated. Add flour mixture a little at a time. When batter is well blended, add cranberries to batter and fold in by hand.

  6. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool, gently remove from pan and glaze.

Glaze:
  1. Zest orange, set aside. Place powdered sugar in a large bowl and add orange juice a little at a time and whisk. You want this icing to be really thick, like molasses. If you add too much juice the icing will run off the cake and pool on the plate. When icing is the right consistency, add orange zest, whisk. When cake is cooled pour icing over (it should be so thick, it barely pours) and serve!

Have the merriest Christmas ever!

“This Christmas and every Christmas will be richer by sharing and enjoying gifts that cannot be held but only felt.” ~ James E. Faust

MAY I PLEASE ASK A FAVOR?

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