This vegan two-layer Cranberry Cake is absolutely oil free and yet soft and fluffy. It has a nice sweet flavor along with a bit of tang from the fruit and creamy texture from the icing. It’s a beautiful holiday treat which is a must on your dessert table.
I have been working on a cake recipe with fresh cranberries. As always, I wanted to make it with healthier ingredients. Even though it took me while to perfect this recipe but my family cooperated at every step.
I played around with the icing because I wanted to come up with a different kind of icing other than the usual ones. I was successful here as I was trying to come up with a custard kind of an icing and yet with a perfect texture so that we can spread it all over the cake like regular icing.
My family loved this recipe and finally I am here to share this awesome fresh cranberry cake.
You may also try my vegan walnut snowball cookies for a perfect Christmas dessert.
Ingredients that you will need:
For the cake
Wet ingredients
Fresh cranberries
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract
Soaked flaxmeal
Apple cider vinegar
Oat milk
Dry ingredients
Quinoa flour
Almond flour
Granulated sugar
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
For compote
Fresh cranberries
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract
For icing
Oat milk
Cornstarch
Granulated sugar
Vanilla extract
I have used these easily available ingredients which you may buy from any local grocery store. However, I have provided links to few of them here for your convenience.
If you plan to buy to from these affiliate links then I get a small commission which in turn encourages me to bring in more delicious recipes for you all.
Ingredients notes:
- Cranberries – these are insanely nutritious. Its juice is used in curing UTI. It’s loaded with antioxidants and helps improve immune function. I have used fresh cranberries in this recipe and this works best here.
- Quinoa flour – quinoa in nature is gluten free and is a complete protein. It a healthy grain with many nutrition and minerals. I used it in flour form in this recipe to be able to whip up a smooth cake batter. Also, by using quinoa in a flour form helps me in camouflaging its strong taste so as to get the smooth sweet taste of the final cake recipe.
- Almond flour – this gives a nice nutty and yet subtle sweet flavor at its base.
- Oat milk – I prefer using oat milk because for its creamy texture and subtle sweet flavor unlike other dairy free milk.
How to make Cranberry Cake
Firstly, I cooked cranberries in maple syrup and vanilla extract until they were soft. Then, I turned it off and let it cool down.
Secondly, I combined all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mixed it with a spoon.
Next, I folded in all the cake ingredients and whipped it up into a batter.
Then, I poured the batter equally into two 8-inch cake pans and baked them in the middle rack of the oven for about 25-30 minutes.
In the meanwhile, I combined all the compote ingredients in a nonstick pan and cooked until cranberries were soft. Then, I mashed them with the help of a food masher and kept it aside.
Afterwards, I combined all the frosting ingredients in a saucepan and stirred it thoroughly until there were no lumps. Then, I cooked it on high flame until it thickened. Next, I turned it off and refrigerated for a few minutes for it to cool down and stiffen a bit.
Thereafter, I took out the cakes from the oven and let them cool down. Then, I inverted one of the cake on a flat surface and topped it with cranberry compote.
Next, I inverted the second cake on it and then covered the entire cake with the frosting.
Lastly, I garnished it with fresh cranberries which is totally optional.
Voila! It was irresistible. We ate almost the entire cake as soon as I was done. Didn’t even get a chance to click the pictures.
So therefore, I baked it again the next day just to click some images for you to see that it is such a droolworthy Christmas delight.
This Cranberry Christmas Cake is so perfect for all ages and so beautiful. It is absolutely a must on your table this holiday season.
Expert tips:
- The frosting has quite a bit of cornstarch. So, when cooling, you must keep whipping it up at intervals with a spatula to maintain its creamy texture. Or else it will stiffen more than required.
- Soak the flaxmeal only before starting with this recipe. We do not want it over soaked.
- When cooking the compote cook it after the cake is baked because it cools down fast.
I am sure by now you all must be craving for this cake. So, I would insist you to get started with this recipe. Simply grab the ingredients and when you start making it you will realize that its extremely easy to bake and layer it.
Also, this Christmas cake recipe is definitely going to impress your guests.
This tastes best the same day. However, the leftovers can be refrigerated for about 2 weeks in an air tight container.
It is a dessert with has quite a bit of sugar and cornstarch. It is a holiday treat even though I made it with quinoa flour and almonds. Therefore, I would recommend indulging in this cranberry cake recipe occasionally.
You may bake the cakes a day before and refrigerate. Take it out and bring the cake to room temperature. In the meanwhile, make the compote and frosting. Then, follow the rest of the steps of layering as explained below in the recipe card.
It has the tart taste of the cranberries along with the subtle nutty flavor of almonds and a hint of quinoa flavor, plus a sweet creamy custard frosting flavor is lip smacking. It is absolutely flavor packed.
I used fresh cranberries and that works best in this vegan cake recipe.
You may also like:
Pecan Upside Down Cake
Christmas Fruit Cake
Pistachio Cake Recipe
Pumpkin Cake
Apple Almond Cake
Other Cranberry recipes that you may like:
Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
5 Ingredients Cranberry Quinoa Granola
Cranberry Amaranth Smoothie
Cranberry Chia Muffins
Did you make it?
If you get a chance to make this recipe then please leave your feedback in the comments below along with the ratings. In addition, you may tag @kiipfit on Instagram with your recipe images because we would love to see what you cooked.
If you desire to explore more delicious recipes of mine then you may check out my cookbooks.
Cranberry Cake
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup flaxmeal (soaked in 1/2 cup water)
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups oat milk
Dry ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa flour
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
For cranberry compote
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the icing
- 2 cups oat milk
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degree Fahrenheit and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by greasing it. You may place parchment paper in the greased cake pan to avoid any tiny bit of oil. Combine 1 cup cranberries, ½ cup maple syrup and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a nonstick pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until cranberries softens. Turn it off and let it cooldown.
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix it well with a spoon.
- Now, fold in all the wet ingredients (including cooked cranberries) into the dry ingredients. Whip it up into a soft batter (but not runny).
- Pour the batter equally into the two prepared cake pans and tap them a slightly to evenly spread the batter in the cake pan. Place them in the middle rack of the oven and bake them for 25-30 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. Once done take them out, turn off the oven and place them on a flat surface. Let them cool down for 15 minutes in the cake pan without disturbing.
- In the meanwhile, combine all the compote ingredients in a nonstick pan and cook on a medium-high flame for 2-3 minutes. As soon as the cranberries are soft turn off the flame and mash the cranberries with a food masher in the pan itself. Keep it aside to cool down a bit.
- Now, in a saucepan combine all the icing ingredients and stir very nicely until there are no lumps. Turn on the flame at high and keep stirring continuously for 3-4 minutes or until it thickens. As soon as it thickens turn it off and spoon it out in a glass bowl. Refrigerate for 5 minutes for it to cool down and stiffen slightly (do not let it over stiffen before spreading it on the cake).
- Now, invert one of the cakes pan on a flat surface. Spread the compote on it evenly.
- Then, invert the other cake on top of the first cake (layered with cranberry compote). Then, with the help of a butter knife and spread it all over the top of the cake and also cover the entire cake with the frosting.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries if desired and slice and enjoy!
Notes
- You may make the icing while the cake bakes so that it gets enough time to cool down and stiffen a bit. However, the frosting should be of a creamy consistency and not very hard.
- You may bake the cake and let it cool overnight as well. Then work on its filling and icing whenever ready to serve.
- If you get cracks on the cake, don’t worry about it. Let it cool completely without disturbing, invert and follow the steps as mentioned. The cracks won’t come in your way.
- Soak the flaxmeal just before starting with this recipe so it thickens. About 5 minutes of soaking is enough.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for about 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Minnie says
Can’t wait to make this today. I’ve had a pkg of fresh cranberries in the fridge for a baked recipe. Thank you!
Gunjan says
Sounds awesome. Enjoy!