Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze

This Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake, flavored with orange zest, studded with cranberries, and yeast raised like a traditional Gugelhupf, is the perfect weekend breakfast.

How is a Gugelhupf different from a bundt cake?

A gugelhupf is a classic German version of a bundt cake, what makes it different is that it is yeast risen rather than using baking soda or baking powder.

How do I know when the cake has risen enough to bake it?

Because this cake has fresh cranberries mixed into the dough and the dough doesn’t develop as much gluten as a classic bread dough, it can take a little longer to rise. So, it should take an hour but it make take closer to an hour and 15 minutes or an hour and 20 minutes. You will know it’s ready when it has grown to within 1″ of the top of the pan.

Do I need a special pan for this cake?

No, classically a gugelhupf is baked in a taller glass version of a bundt pan but this recipe has been tested in a traditional metal bundt pan.

Should I precook Cranberries before baking?

In this bundt cake, it is not necessary to precook the cranberries because they soften during the baking process and become a bit like baked blueberries!

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Tips for making Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze

• Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature including the cranberries! This will help the gugelhupf rise as quick as possible.
• Most yeasted doughs should be kneaded until they are a smooth ball of dough, that is not the case for this gugelhupf. This gugelhupf dough will still look very wet and and sticky, the key is that when you stir it with a spatula the dough should have some amount of stretch to it – this will indicate that it has developed gluten.
• Don’t over bake this cake because it will dry out. The bundt cake should be golden brown on top and the internal temperature should reach 200 F – 210 F. It will most likely sink slightly as it cools but don’t worry it’s not under baked.
• Allow the gugelhupf to cool for at least 20-30 minutes before glazing it.
• To get a nice clean slice, use a serrated knife to cut this gugelhupf.

Ingredients

• Cranberries: Fresh cranberries should be used for this recipe.
• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour should work for this Cranberry Orange Gugelhupf! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar is used in this cake and powdered sugar is used in the glaze.
• Yeast: Active dry yeast is used in this recipe but instant yeast will work too, simply whisk it in with the flour and sugar in the first step and then continue with the recipe.
• Whole Milk: Milk is the main source of liquid in the dough. I like to use whole milk because the extra fat helps keep the cake more moist.
• Butter: Butter adds moisture to the cake – it is important that it’s at room temperature so it can easily incorporate into the dough.
• Eggs: 2 eggs are used in this gugelhupf recipe. I use standard large eggs from the grocery store. It is important that the eggs are at room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla enhances the orange flavor of the cake.
• Orange zest and juice: Orange zest adds the orange flavor into the cake batter and the orange juice provides extra orange flavor in the glaze.

How to make Cranberry Orange Bread

Make the Cake Batter

• Wash the cranberries and set them aside to dry.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour and sugar. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour the yeast and lukewarm milk into the well.
• Stir the milk and yeast together incorporating a little bit of the flour and sugar mixture from the sides of the well. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside for ten minutes.
• After the ten minutes have passed, remove the towel and check to make sure the milk and yeast mixture is bubbly and active.
• Briefly stir the contents of the bowl together. Then add in the butter, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest.
• Use the dough hook to knead everything together on low speed for 20 minutes. Scrape the bottom and edges of the bowl halfway through to make sure all ingredients are being fully incorporated.
• Once the dough has been kneaded for 20 minutes, it should have developed some gluten. The gluten will cause the the dough to have some amount of stretch to it.
• Pour the cranberries into the dough and stir them into the dough with a rubber spatula.

Assemble and bake the cake

• Spray a metal bundt pan with baking spray (one that includes flour) and scoop the dough in.
• Use the rubber spatula to even the dough out around the pan.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
• Cover the bundt pan with a plastic proofing bag, an airtight cover, or a towel (if you live in a humid climate). Place the pan somewhere warm to proof for 1 hour.
• After an hour check to see if the cake has risen to within 1″ of the edge of the pan, if not, leave it rise for 15 more minutes.
• After the time has passed, remove the cover from the bunt cake and place in the preheated oven. Bake the gugelhupf for 35 – 40 minutes. Rotate the cake halfway through to ensure even browning.
• Once the cake is golden brown on the surface, and a thermometer inserted in the center reads at least 200 F, remove the bundt pan and place it on a cooling rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.
• After 10-15 minutes, place a second cooling rack face down onto the surface of the cake. While holding both the pan and the new cooling rack, swiftly flip them over so that the bundt pan is now upright.
• Gently lift the pan away from the cake. If it doesn’t easily lift off, tap the top of the pan a few times and let it sit for a couple of minutes and the cake should fall right out onto the cooling rack.

Make the Glaze

• In a medium bowl, whisk the orange juice and powdered sugar together.
• Once the cake is cool to the touch, drizzle the glaze over the cake. Then use a serrated knife to cut slices and serve.

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