Cranberry Butter Cake
Cranberry Butter Cake made with yellow cake mix, cream cheese, butter, orange zest, and fresh cranberries. A festive dessert that’s sweet, tart, and rich with flavor.
12 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz package yellow cake mix
- 3 large eggs divided
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter melted and divided
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 16 oz package powdered sugar
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
Prepare the base layer:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of melted butter with 1 egg. Blend well, then add the yellow cake mix. Mix until fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, pressing it into an even layer. Set aside.
Prepare the cream cheese layer:
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add the remaining 2 eggs, the remaining melted butter, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
Incorporate the powdered sugar:
- Gradually add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, mixing in batches until smooth and fully blended.
Assemble the cake:
- Gently spread the cream cheese mixture over the base layer in the baking dish, smoothing evenly. Scatter the cranberries over the top, pressing them lightly into the cream cheese layer.
Bake:
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is just set but slightly jiggly.
Cool and serve:
- Remove from oven, allow to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve.
Notes
To prepare this Cranberry Butter Cake gluten free, substitute the yellow cake mix with a certified gluten-free cake mix. Confirm that all other packaged ingredients, including powdered sugar, are gluten-free certified.