Cranberry Cake with Hard Sauce Recipe
This Cranberry Cake with Hard Sauce is a delightful dessert featuring a moist, buttery cake studded with fresh cranberries and topped with a rich, creamy hard sauce. Perfect for holiday gatherings or any time you’re craving a classic, sweet and tart treat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Cake Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2½ cups fresh cranberries (can use frozen)
Hard Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F to prepare for baking the cake.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, kosher salt, milk, and cornstarch. Use an electric mixer to blend the ingredients on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and well incorporated.
- Fold in Cranberries: Gently fold in the fresh (or frozen) cranberries with a spatula to evenly distribute them throughout the batter without crushing them.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking, then pour the batter evenly into the dish.
- Bake the Cake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cake batter is set and the top begins to turn golden brown. Test with a toothpick to ensure it comes out clean.
- Make the Hard Sauce: While the cake bakes, combine butter, sugar, and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until the butter melts completely and the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Once the cake is baked and slightly cooled, serve slices with a generous pour of the warm hard sauce over each piece for a rich and flavorful finishing touch.
Notes
- You can use frozen cranberries if fresh are not available; just thaw them slightly before folding into the batter.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter once the cranberries are added to avoid crushing the berries.
- The hard sauce can be stored in the refrigerator and gently reheated before serving.
- This cake is best served warm with the creamy hard sauce poured right over the top.
- To make the dish gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
Keywords: cranberry cake, hard sauce, holiday dessert, baked cake, cranberry dessert, creamy sauce
Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/cranberry-cake-with-hard-sauce-recipe/
