What's on your Thanksgiving menu this year? I may have to go buy more cranberries so this cranberry cake can be a late addition to mine. For the most part, I'm sticking with classic recipes this year but adding in a few new items as well.
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole - I'm doing a cross between this recipe and a copycat Ruth's Chris Steakhouse version
Dressing with apples and cranberries
Cranberry Sauce
Classic Pumpkin Pie
If you haven't nailed down your desserts yet, I've got a new one for you to try. This takes about 20 minutes of prep time, but with a stand mixer about half of that time is just running the mixer. It's so simple and likely the only thing you don't already have in the pantry are fresh cranberries. Take advantage of the cheap fresh berries in every grocery store and make this cake while they are in season. The tart cranberries are perfect with the sweetness of the cake and the light glaze. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is a great finish to Thanksgiving dinner.
Fresh Cranberry Cake
Cake:
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 T orange zest
2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cups cranberries
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 T milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10" springform pan or 9"x13" baking pan with baking spray and set aside.
Combine sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Mix 6-8 minutes on medium speed until pale yellow and doubled in volume. Add in butter and extracts and zest and mix two more minutes. Add flour and cinnamon and stir until combined. Fold in cranberries. Transfer batter to prepared pan. If you are baking in a springform pan, put the pan on a cookie sheet and put in the oven. Bake approximately one hour (about 45 minutes in a 9"x13" pan). Cool completely and remove ring from pan.
Put powdered sugar in a small bowl, add milk one tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth. Add vanilla and drizzle over cake.
