Easy Cranberry Almond Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Make the sugared cranberries: Bring 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar syrup over them; let sit 1 hour. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with the cardamom in a large bowl. Drain the cranberries, add to the spiced sugar and toss to coat. Spread the cranberries and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Let sit, rerolling the cranberries in the sugar occasionally until dry, 2 to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl; set aside. Put the cocoa powder in a separate large bowl. Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan until almost simmering; pour over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until just combined. Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans; lightly tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made 1 day ahead; let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the side of the bowl, until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and almond liqueur; beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Halve 1/2 cup of the sugared cranberries. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then sprinkle with the halved cranberries. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top with the remaining sugared cranberries.

LEMON ALMOND CAKE WITH CRANBERRY GLAZE

Steps:

• For the lemon almond cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, almond meal, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt, baking soda and zest in a medium bowl. Whisk together the yogurt and lemon juice in a separate small bowl until very smooth. Whisk together the granulated sugar and olive oil in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs to the olive oil mixture, one at a time, whisking very well after each, then stir in the almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and yogurt mixture to the olive oil mixture in three alternating additions, whisking after each until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the cranberry glaze: Combine the cranberries with 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until the cranberries start to break down and release their juices (you can help this process along by smashing them with a rubber spatula), 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the cranberries and their juices into a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl. Press the mixture through the sieve with a spatula, making sure to scrape off the bottom of the sieve and adding that to the bowl as well. Add the powdered sugar and salt to the bowl and mix until it comes together into a spreadable glaze. (It will seem like a lot of sugar at first but it will eventually incorporate.) If the glaze is too thick, add a couple drops of water until it's thin enough to spread. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.
• To decorate: Spread the glaze over the top of the cake, then sprinkle with sliced almonds, rose petals, fresh thyme leaves, sliced cranberries and sprinkles.

CRANBERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C).
• Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk together eggs, egg whites, and vanilla or almond extract in a separate mixing bowl.
• Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, mixing just until moist, using an electric mixer on medium speed. Add dried cranberries and almonds; mix thoroughly.
• On floured surface, divide batter in half and pat each half into a log approximately 14 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes or until firm. Cool on a wire rack about 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
• Cut biscotti on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place cut biscotti upright on a cookie sheet, spacing them about an inch apart, and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let cool and store in a loosely covered container.

CRANBERRY-ALMOND POUND CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine dried cranberries and amaretto. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool., In a large bowl, beat almond paste, half of the butter, and 1/4 cup sugar until well blended. Add remaining butter and remaining sugar; cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract., Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Fold in fresh cranberries and dried cranberry mixture. Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan., Bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., Combine glaze ingredients; beat until smooth. Drizzle over cake. If desired, top with sugared cranberries and sliced almonds.

CRANBERRY CAKE WITH ALMOND-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8-in. square baking pan., Beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in milk. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture. Stir in cranberries. Transfer to prepared pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack., For sauce, in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and cream; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in extract. Serve warm with cake.

DELICIOUS CRANBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• In mixing bowl, beat eggs with sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5 minutes.
• Add butter and extract.
• Beat 2 minutes.
• Stir in flour just until combined.
• Stir in cranberries and pecans.
• Spread in greased 9"x13" pan.
• Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes.

CRANBERRY ALMOND COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Grease 13 x 9 baking pan.
• CAKE.
• In a small bowl, toss cranberries in flour to coat well, set aside.
• In a large mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and almond extract.
• Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
• Stir in floured cranberries, shaking off excess flour first.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• TOPPING.
• In a small bowl, combine almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Mix well.
• Sprinkle evenly over batter.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool 30 minutes in pan on wire rack.
• Serve warm or cool.
• *Can replace cranberries with blueberries or raspberries.