Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe

A square of cranberry cake and a fork on a small white plate.

5 from 1 vote

Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe

Make sure to add this Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe to your fall baking list! It has a tender, moist crumb thanks to yogurt, a super easy cranberry filling (shortcut ingredient!), and a buttery crumb topping - all with just a touch of cinnamon. It's a make-ahead breakfast idea that is perfect for weekend mornings!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 697kcal

Author: Danielle

Equipment

Ingredients

baking spray nonstick spray with flour
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

Crumb Topping

⅓ cup butter melted
¾ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
strained sauce from above

Cake Batter

⅔ cup butter room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar firmly packed
⅓ cup neutral oil
2 large eggs room temperature
2 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whole milk yogurt room temperature
½ cup reserved cranberry sauce from above

Instructions

Prep

Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare pan by spraying with baking spray, lining with parchment paper, and then spraying again with baking spray.
baking spray
Open the can of cranberry sauce, measure out ½ cup of the sauce, and set it aside. Put the remaining amount through a fine mesh strainer, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids. You’ll now have the reserved ½ cup plus the strained liquid to work with.
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

Crumb Topping

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt together. Pour in the melted butter and mix carefully with a fork until well combined. It should be crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
⅓ cup butter, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake Batter

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter, both sugars, and oil for 3 minutes on medium speed. Scape down bowl.
⅔ cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup neutral oil
Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each one. Beat in vanilla.
2 large eggs, 2 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Turn mixer on to low speed, add in ⅓ of the flour mixture until just combined. Scrape down the bowl. Add half of the yogurt, mix until just combined and scrape sides of the bowl. Repeat with the ⅓ of the flour, the second half of the yogurt, and the rest of the dry ingredients. Stop to scrape the bowl after each addition. Do not over beat the ingredients at this point. Stop as soon as the ingredients are combined.
1 cup whole milk yogurt
In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar and the cinnamon.
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup brown sugar
Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan, use an offset spatula to even out the batter.
Leaving a half inch border, spread the strained cranberry sauce over the batter. Then sprinkle with the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, leaving the same half inch border.
strained sauce
Carefully spoon the rest of the batter over the filling and smooth out with the offset spatula. The batter needs to be gently pressed into place around. The dollops ensure that it doesn't need to be pressed far.
Using a large spoon make 16 equal sized dots over the top of the final batter. Grab the topping from the refrigerator and break up with a fork if it is stuck together. Sprinkle evenly across the surface including the dots of cranberry sauce.
½ cup reserved cranberry sauce
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Look for a cake tester to come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.

Notes

Tips & Tricks

Make sure the dairy (butter, eggs, and yogurt) are all room temperature, but not warm, before mixing.
Make sure to leave a border when adding the middle layer. Otherwise the filling might stick to the sides of the pan.
Do not use the jellied cranberries in a can. You want the whole cranberry sauce.
If the sauce won’t stain easily, feel free to gently warm for 15 seconds or so in the microwave.
Refrigerate the crumb topping while preparing the rest of the cake. IT keeps the streusel crunchy when baking.

Make-Ahead Instructions

There are a couple of options for prepping ahead.

Once assembled, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Place in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove from the oven and allow to sit at room temperature while the oven is preheating. Once the oven is hot, place in a cook until done. Since the batter is cold it might take an extra couple minutes. Watch carefully towards the end.
Once baked, allow to cool and wrap the entire cake in plastic wrap and then a alyer of foil. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature or in the fridge before serving. Warm each slice in the microwave for that warm, freshly baked experience.

Nutrition