Description
Tender sour-cream orange cake baked over a glossy cranberry, brown sugar, and pecan topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup (57 g) pecan halves, toasted and chopped
- 1/3 cup (71 g) unsalted butter, for the topping
- 2/3 cup (133 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp (6 g) finely grated orange zest
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened, for the cake
- 2 large eggs (100 g without shells), room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp fine salt
- 3/4 cup (180 g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a solid 9-inch (23 cm) round light metal cake pan, line the base with parchment, and grease the parchment.
- Melt topping butter with brown sugar and orange juice. Stir in cornstarch and spread the glossy mixture across the pan base.
- Arrange cranberries in one even layer and scatter pecans into the spaces.
- Rub orange zest into granulated sugar. Beat it with the softened cake butter until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream.
- Spoon batter over the fruit in small mounds and smooth gently.
- Bake for 38-44 minutes, until the center springs back and a tester is clean.
- Rest for 15 minutes, loosen the edge, invert onto a flat plate, and cool before slicing into 10 wedges.
Notes
Use a solid pan, do not thaw frozen cranberries, and invert the cake after a 15-minute rest for the cleanest release.