This cake, oh my gosh this cake! It's a Cranberry Orange Spice Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese and every single bite is amazing. I may, on occasion, be prone to superlatives and exaggeration . . . but, dead serious right now, this cake is THE BEST.
I made this cake. Now I am ready for Christmas.
No, really. I feel like even if I don't finish anything else on my holiday to-do list, I can make this cake and serve it for Christmas and all will be well. Not that I'm trying to pat myself on the back, but this really is a perfect cake.
In general, cakes can really stress me out. Though I enjoy baking, I wouldn't say cakes are my forte and I've had a lot of mishaps when attempting cake recipes - cakes that don't rise, cakes with giant sink holes in the middle, cakes that fall apart when you try to take them out of the pan, and cakes that look fine but are crumbly and dry and nobody really wants to eat them. So, I worked hard on this recipe because I wanted a really perfect cake and a recipe that even all the not-so-great-cake-makers like myself can pull off. The pressure was on.
And Voila! Here it is!
Oh Christmas Cake, Oh Christmas Cake, how lovely are thy berries. . . Just a little Christmasy Cake Carol I'm working on. This cake is the sort that inspires songs and such.
But in all seriousness, it's so good. It's my favorite flavor combination this time of year - Cranberry + Orange = Love. And their juices seep in to the cake and it's tender and flavorful like a proper spice cake should be. The citrus cream cheese layer bakes into the top and it's kind of a frosting-notfrosting sort of thing that is hard to describe but will make your mouth smile as soon as you taste it. And it's gorgeous, which makes it the centerpiece of any holiday table - it's like a holiday decoration all on its own. This is THE CAKE, I'm telling you.
Don't be fooled by it's delicious, gorgeous cake face either. It is NOT HARD to make. I made it for my mother's birthday this week and I had to make it happen with a kid home from school (mental health day) and a baby who refused to take a nap and still, even without a proper baker's love and attention, it was perfect. Just follow the directions and you should be fine, even without any special cake maker certificates.
Now let's just look at the cake for a minute and imagine each cheesy, gooey, juicy, spicy, sweet (yep, it really is all these things) bite. Prepare yourself:
Yep, I'm ready for another slice.
And did I tell you about how the cake, though it's very tender, gets this thin, crispy -ish crust just a little along the upper edges? That might very well be my favorite part.
This is on my Christmas menu, and all other holiday occasions that I can justify making this Cranberry Orange Spice Cake for. I'm giving you all this recipe with my highest recommendation.
Happy Holidays my favorite blog readers! Recipe adapted from http://www.pauladeen.com/clementine-spice-cake
Cranberry Orange Spice Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
This is the perfect way to bring colour to a winter table! So stunning. And I love the flavour!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks Katrina! It really does look so pretty on the table 🙂
Rachel @ Simple Seasonal says
What a fantastic combination of flavors and it's so beautiful! I wish I had a piece right now!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thank you Rachel! I wish I could give you a piece 🙂
Noel says
Beautiful colors! I've always been a fan of the cranberry - orange combination. This cake does a nice job of combining those flavors with the holiday spices.
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks so much Noel! Happy holidays!
Sabrina says
Wow, this looks great! Perfect for the holidays!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thank you Sabrina! I appreciate all of your comments here so much!
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
This looks so beautiful! I love the flavors and how colorful it is. Cakes kinda stress me out too sometimes so I love how easy you make it seem 🙂
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thank you Heidi - it really is an easy cake!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
This looks AMAZING! So super decadent! 🙂
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks Annie! I can't stop making it and eating it - definitely the holiday cake of the year!
Cristie | Little Big H says
I'm pinning this now! It looks so good. I can't wait to make it. Very impressive.
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks Cristie - hope you love it like I do!
Lokness @ The Missing Lokness says
What a beautiful cake! Love the orange slices and red cranberries. This cake is a winner for the holidays! Can't wait to try it. 🙂
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thank you! It is definitely the holiday cake of the year at my house - hope you enjoy it!
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness says
I love the flavors in this cake. It does sound perfect.
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thank you Dawn!
Emma says
Great recipes and blog Allison. I discovered you through the Huffington Post 28 clementine recipes as I'm also featured. This cake looks and sounds delicious.
Sahar says
Wonderful flavor combinations.. I'm definitely baking that today and your blog is on the favorite list already!
Just one question though... As I was reading through the recipe instructions, I think you missed ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in the cream cheese.
Can you please check if there is a mistake in the recipe somewhere coz I would really like to bake this one in a day or two.
Thanks a lot
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thank you Sahar! I updated the recipe - thanks for catching that! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Happy New Year!
Mal says
So excited to make this!! How does it keep? Can I bake it the day before without compromising flavor and texture?