The Best Cranberry and Orange Cake - Gluten Free

This cranberry and orange cake is incredibly soft and moist, packed with zesty orange juice and sweet tangy cranberry sauce. This orange cake recipe from scratch is the perfect cake to enjoy this winter. 

This recipe is dairy and gluten free and if you'd prefer to make it vegan as well. Simply substitute the eggs for 120g of pureed apple sauce! 

Similarly, we’ve made this orange and cranberry cake recipe dairy free, using dairy free spread and milk in place of ordinary butter or margarine and ordinary cows milk. If you'd prefer not to make it dairy free just substitute them:)  

In this easy cranberry cake recipe I will be going through how to make cranberry orange cake with lemon glaze and answering your FAQs such as ‘what topping for orange cake' ‘how to decorate orange cake ’ ‘how long does orange cake last’ and so much more.

A really great thing about this fluffy orange cake is how versatile it is. Which is what makes this recipe for cranberry cake the best. For example, you can make this into a chocolate and orange cake marble or a simple orange cake and decorate it with candied orange peels instead!

I’ll also be sharing some more flavor variations and mix in’s below. And would highly recommend you check that part of this post out!

This recipe for cranberry and orange cake requires less than an hour to come together from start to finish!

If you’re looking for more gluten free cake recipes to add to your baking list check out my Berry Cobbler and Cinnamon and Apple Cake

Expert Baking Tips on how to make this cranberry and orange cake recipe

Although this orange cake loaf recipe is super simple to make, here are just a few expert tips I'd recommend:

When adding the cranberry sauce to the batter make sure to just briefly mix it in to prevent the entire cake batter turning red.

For the cranberry icing you can use pureed cranberries or store bought cranberry sauce if you're using a store bought version, then make sure to heat it up in the microwave with a teaspoon of my water to loosen it.

Orange cake recipe gluten free

Ingredients for this orange cake easy recipe

Gluten Free Plain Flour – paired with a teaspoon of xanthan gum to give more stability to the cake to prevent it from crumbling. However, if you’d prefer not to make these gluten-free simply substitute the gluten-free flour for normal plain flour. There’s also no need to add xanthan gum. As the gluten in the normal flour will prevent the cake from crumbling.

• Dairy Free Butter – This can be in spread or block form.
• Caster sugar – I like to use caster sugar in my cakes which is just very refined sugar. So if you can’t find caster sugar I’d recommend using very refined granulated sugar..
• Apple Sauce - You can use this as an egg substitute. If you'd prefer to make this cake vegan

Cranberry and orange cake recipe uk - Step by step instructions 

How make orange cake

• Begin by preheating your oven to 180°c/350°F, grease and flour your loaf tin - check out my post here on how.
• Start by mixing together the dry ingredients until combined.
• Next add the milk, melted butter and eggs. Then mix until ½ combined.

• Before fully combining the mixture, add the orange zest and juice. Then mix until incorporated.
• Add ½ the cranberry sauce and briefly mix in to prevent the entire cake batter turning red.

• Transfer to your loaf tin and add the remaining cranberry sauce to the top. Using a knife swirl it into the batter. 
• Bake for 30-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean and the cake is springy to the touch.

Syrup for orange cake

How to decorate orange cake

• As the cake cools make the icing by mixing together the icing sugar and water, until smooth. Then again briefly mix in the cranberry sauce.150 g Icing sugar, ½ tablespoon Water, 1 teaspoon Cranberry Sauce
• Once the cake is cooled, pour the icing onto the cake and let it drip down the sides. It's now time to enjoy it with your faviroute warm beverage.

Flavour Variations and Mixins - Easy whole orange cake

Cranberry orange cake with cream cheese frosting

In place of orange cake with syrup - like the cranberry icing in this recipe, smooth cream cheese frosting would be an excellent substitute that would go perfectly with this cake.

Classic orange cake

To make this cake, you will keep to this same spice orange cake but without the addition of the cranberry sauce and icing. Instead you can decorate this cake with candied orange peels and for the icing use a teaspoon of orange juice instead.

Cranberry and orange cake healthy

To make this orange cake easy recipe healthy, substitute the sugar for coconut sugar. You can also make this orange cake without butter by simply substituting the dairy free butter for 115 ml of olive oil.  Although these alternatives aren’t 100% healthier as they are still processed, they do have more health benefits then their counterparts. 

Let me know in the comments if you try these variations or if you came up with your own!

FAQs - cranberry loaf cake recipe uk

Can you make this orange cake recipe with oil ?

Yes! Simply substitute the dairy free butter for 115 ml of olive oil or rapeseed/vegetable oil.

Orange cake decorating ideas

More interesting or fancy ways to decorate this cake, could be with some candied orange peels, a cream cheese frosting [you make this dairy free too -link] or perhaps even bake it in a fancy cake tin like a bundt tin!

Storing and freezing the cranberry and orange cake

How long does gluten free cake last?

They stay good at room-temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to 2 months if stored in an airtight container.

Make sure to tag me @whiskmefree on Instagram and leave a review below if you made this cranberry and orange cake. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!

Cranberry and orange cake

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