Cranberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze #Thanksgiving #giveaway Kim Davis

 

KIM DAVIS: A lot of people associate pumpkin with Thanksgiving and while I enjoy pumpkin pie, cranberries are my go-to flavor for the holiday. From homemade cranberry sauce to cranberry rolls to cranberry cocktails, to cranberry cake, they're all my favorite. I also like the simple elegance of Bundt cakes during the holidays instead of fussing with stacking layers of cake and buttercream. 

A few decades ago I came across a recipe in a Cooking Light Magazine for upside down cranberry cake. I made it a few times and while it was delicious, it was fussy and time consuming to make. A couple of years ago, I decided to try something different and took my favorite parts of that original recipe (namely a copious amount of cranberries plus a layer of cranberries and brown sugar on top) and turn it into a Bundt cake. I also added the fresh addition of lemon juice to brighten the cake and the glaze. My family and taste testers loved it even more and this has become our new favorite cranberry cake! 

However you celebrate Thanksgiving, may your table be filled with joy! 

Cranberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

 

Ingredients

Cake:

2-1/2 cups (12 ounces) all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon, divided
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk (whole, 2%, or almond)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups fresh (or frozen) cranberries (12-ounce package), divided
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Heavily grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Stir together the milk and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mixture may appear to curdle, but that is fine. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, mix the granulated sugar with the lemon zest. 

Beat until the sugar becomes light yellow, about 2 minutes. Add the butter to the lemon sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. 

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

 

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the lemon-milk mixture in three increments. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.

 

Sprinkle the extra tablespoon of flour over 1-1/2 cups of cranberries (if using frozen cranberries, now is the time to remove them from the freezer) and stir to combine. 

Add the cranberries to the cake batter and fold in.

 

Sprinkle brown sugar over the bottom of the pan, then layer the remaining 1-1/2 cups of the cranberries over the sugar. (If using frozen cranberries, do not defrost them first. Instead, add them right before pouring in the batter.)

 

Spread the batter over the cranberries and brown sugar.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs clinging to the skewer is fine. If using frozen cranberries, you may need to bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter or cake stand and remove the Bundt pan. If some of the cranberries and sugar stick to the cake pan, spoon it back onto the top of the cake. The glaze will hide any holes or cracks. Allow the cake to cool completely before drizzling the glaze.

Glaze:

Whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake and allow to set before serving.

 

Optional Sugared Cranberries for garnish: 

(sorry - I got in a hurry and totally forgot to take photos!)

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup superfine sugar* 

Instructions:

Combine 1 cup sugar and water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until the sugar is dissolved. Don’t allow the mixture to boil, otherwise, the cranberries will burst. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Place the cranberries in a bowl and add the simple syrup. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the cranberries and roll them in the superfine sugar, making sure that the cranberries are thoroughly coated. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow to dry for at least 2 hours.

*If you don’t have superfine sugar, whirl regular granulated sugar in a food processor for 20 pulses.

 

💕 Click here for a free printable PDF of the recipe!💕

What it's about:

Hollywood has descended on Oak Creek Valley to film a murder mystery. Carissa Carmichael, owner of the Aromatherapy Apothecary, has a front-row seat to the bad-boy leading man’s escapades as she works with the production to bring soothing essential elements to the stressed-out crew.

When the movie set becomes a true crime scene, Carissa’s best friend becomes the star suspect. Instead of enjoying the thrills of lights, camera, and action, she’s thrust into untangling the secrets of the glamorous actors who all seem to hide something. While working behind the scenes to sniff out clues and clear her best friend’s name, Carissa must apply pressure and find the killer before someone else is written out for good.

Includes a recipe, plus essential oil and reflexology tips.

Purchase links:

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

OTHER RETAILERS

Books available at most online retailers

 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Apple

 

Cupcake Catering Mysteries * Essentials of Murder* Essentials of Death

 

About the Author:

Kim Davis writes the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery series, and the award-winning Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series. She has also written several children’s nature articles published in a variety of magazines. Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

She lives in Southern California with her husband and rambunctious mini Goldendoodle, Missy, who has become an inspiration for several plotlines. When she’s not spending time with her granddaughters or chasing Missy around, she can be found either writing on her next book, working on blogs, or in the kitchen baking up yummy treats to share.

Click here to sign up here for Kim’s newsletter: Newsletter

Connect with Kim: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Bluesky, Bookbub, Goodreads, TikTok, and website

 

AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY

I'm giving away a copy of Muddled Matrimonial Murder, a Thanksgiving-themed cozy mystery, even though the cover doesn't hint at it  😀

Comment below and include your email (yourname at yourserver dot com) for a chance to win a copy of Muddled Matrimonial Murder. (Print contest is open to US residents, and all others will receive an ebook copy). Contest ends 11:59pm on Wednesday, October 11, 2026. 

Readers, are you a people of the pumpkin or the clan of the cranberry?