Easy Orange Cranberry Cake with Cinnamon Crumble Top

A cream colored plate with a slice of orange cranberry cake and a silver fork. There are slices of the same cake alongside the plate on a wooden board.

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Easy Orange Cranberry Cake with Cinnamon Crumble Top

This lightly spiced loaf is packed with texture from the crumble top, juicy cranberries and a handful of crunchy pecans or walnuts. It's a brilliant morning or afternoon tea and a great way to use frozen or fresh cranberries.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Morning Tea

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cranberry, loaf cake, orange cranberry cake

Servings: slices

Calories: 387kcal

Ingredients

Crumble topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour plain flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
4 Tbsp unsalted butter cold and cubed

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg large, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk full fat milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil or other neutral flavored oil
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1/2 orange zested and juiced (use the whole thing if you like it orangey)
1 cup frozen cranberries do not thaw; you can use fresh if available
2/3 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For regular ovens: preheat to 350°F/180°C. Grease a 9×5 inch (23x13cm) loaf pan with nonstick spray, or line with silicone paper.
For combi steam ovens: preheat oven to Combi Steam, 350°F/180°C, 30% (low) humidity. Grease a 9×5 inch (23x13cm) loaf pan with nonstick spray, or line with silicone paper.
Make the crumble. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and ginger together in a medium bowl. Rub in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips, until the mixture resembles pea-size crumbs. Set the mixture aside in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
Make the cake batter. Mix the flour, baking soda, spices and salt together in a large bowl.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp salt
Whisk the egg, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in another bowl until combined. Add in the milk, oil, vanilla, orange zest and half of the orange juice.
1 egg, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup whole milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 orange
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir to completely combine. Don't overmix, stop as soon as everything comes together. Fold in the cranberries and nuts (if using).
1 cup frozen cranberries, 2/3 cup pecans
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Top evenly with the crumble, pressing it down very gently into the top of the cake so it sticks.
Bake until the cake tests clean in the center; about 50 minutes to an hour for regular oven, and 40-45 minutes for steam oven. Your baking times will vary depending on your oven.
Cool bread completely in the pan, then turn out.
Serve in thick slices; the cake is best eaten on the day it's made but will keep for a couple of days, covered, at room temperature. After that, freeze slices, well wrapped, for up to a couple of months.

Notes

The photographed version of this cake was made with one and a half quantities of batter, for a very high-rise loaf. Feel free to do the same if you like. Note that in this scenario I used 2 eggs instead of 1 1/2 (because who wants to use half an egg!), and cut down the additional milk by a couple of tablespoons. The baking time will increase by around 15 minutes.
The cake is best eaten on the day it's made but will keep for a couple of days, covered, at room temperature. After that, freeze slices, well wrapped, for up to a couple of months.
Cranberries: 3/4 cup dried cranberries may be used instead of fresh/frozen. I like to soak them in warm water for about 20 minutes before adding them to the recipe; drain off the water before adding the cranberries to the batter.

Nutrition