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Flavorful and moist, this Cranberry-Orange Ricotta Pound Cake is a holiday favorite. The sweet orange glaze puts it over the top!
This is my absolute favorite recipe for cranberry-orange pound cake. It’s the ricotta that really makes it shine. I brought a few loaves over to a holiday party last week and they were gone in no time! After hearing the rave reviews and a few friends (who claim to never bake) even sending me emails requesting the recipe, sharing this cake with you was a no-brainer 😉
What really makes this gorgeous cranberry-orange pound cake stand out from the rest is how velvety moist and decadent each cranberry packed slice is. I mentioned earlier it’s the ricotta in this recipe that really makes it so special. I prefer using whole milk ricotta, but low-fat or skim will do the job. If you’re feeling really adventurous, why not try making homemade ricotta cheese? I promise it’s a million times easier than you think (and a million times tastier than anything you can buy from the store).
Oh! Another amazing feature going on in this cake: every bite is loaded with orangey//cranberry goodness. Fresh cranberries and fresh orange zest are the only way to go here.
P.S. Have you noticed how pretty and plump crannies are this year? Oranges, too. I just can’t get enough!
And now let’s talk about the glaze. Oh my heavens the glaze. It’s such a simple mixture: fresh orange juice, orange zest, and confectioners’ sugar. It’s silky sweet perfection! You can drizzle it on nice and thick or go light, but I say slather it on there because, well, you know.
A little tip! Add the glaze right before serving. Then pop any leftovers you have in the fridge. This will keep it fresh for up to three days. Not that I think it’ll last that long 😉
This luscious cranberry-orange ricotta pound cake requires no mixer or fancy ingredients! Just a few bowls, a whisk, a loaf pan, and your oven. A great cake for casual coffee with friends or the holiday dessert table… happy baking, friends!
Cranberry-Orange Ricotta Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 and 2/3 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; divided
- 1 and 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese, preferably whole milk/full-fat
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
The Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Grease a large loaf pan, line with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine 1 and 2/3 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt; mix well to combine; set aside.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl whisk together the ricotta, sour cream, sugar, eggs, egg yolk, orange zest, and vanilla.
- Chop cranberries and toss them with remaining flour; set aside.
- Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the oil into the batter, folding from the bottom and up, making sure it’s all incorporated. Fold in the flour coated cranberries.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling wrack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze simply whisk together the ingredients until smooth. Add more juice for a thinner glaze, and more sugar if you need to thicken it up.
- Pour glaze over cake right before serving.
Absolutely gorgeous! Cannot wait to try!