Cranberry Orange Pound Cake with Orange Glaze

Cranberry and orange are the perfect combo, especially in baking. This Cranberry Orange Pound Cake with Orange Glaze is fab if you are having company or to share with family and friends. I gave half of mine away!

The orange zest makes everything very vibrant and bright.

The recipe calls for 1/2 cup dried cranberries, but you should up it to 3/4 cup if you want more of them scattered throughout the cake. 

This is awesome with a cup of tea or coffee during those cold winter days and nights.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Orange Pound Cake with Orange Glaze

Makes 24 servings

From "The Betty Crocker Cookbook"

For the Cranberry Orange Pound Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

5 eggs

1 cup milk or evaporated milk

1/2 cup - 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped 

1 tsp. grated orange peel

Powdered sugar (if desired) or Orange Glaze (if desired, recipe is below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease bottom, side and tube of a10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan, 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans with shortening; lightly flour.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Bean on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with milk on low speed, beating just until smooth after each addition. Fold in grated orange peel and dried cranberries. Pour into pan(s).

Bake angel food or fluted tube cake pan 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, loaf pans 55 to 60  minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan(s) to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with orange glaze (recipe is below).

Orange Glaze

(1 cup glaze)

From "The Betty Crocker Cookbook"

1/3 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2-4 Tbsp. orange juice, heated

1 tsp. grated orange peel

In 1 1/2 quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat; remove from heat. Stir in grated orange peel. Stir in powdered sugar.

Stir in warm orange juice, 1 Tbsp. at a time until glaze is smooth and has the consistency of a thick syrup.

Glaze one 10-cup fluted tube cake, 10-inch angel food or chiffon cake or top of an 8- or 9-inch layer cake. 

Leftover glaze can be tightly covered and refrigerated up to 5 days; do not freeze. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature to soften; stir before using.