Cranberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

Serves 8

Recipe from http://www.alexandracooks.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This cake is scrumptious and so easy to make. The top of the cake has a texture similar to a scone.  The crumb is tender and the tang of the cranberries is perfectly balanced with the sweet of the sugar.  Although the cake’s name includes the word “breakfast,” I think this cake would make a perfect tea time treat for special guests. (Christmas and Valentines Day come to mind.) The batter can be prepared up to a day in advance. Do not store the batter in the pan you plan on baking it in — store it in an airtight container and then transfer to the prepared pan when you are ready to bake.  Be sure to buy your ingredients at our community-owned grocery store, Lost River Market & Deli.

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
(plus 1 Tablespoon for preparing the pan.)

The zest from 1 orange zest


1 cup + 1 Tablespoon sugar, divided

1 egg, room temperature


1 teaspoon vanilla


2 cups all-purpose flour
(Set aside 2 Tablespoons for tossing with the cranberries.)

2 teaspoon baking powder


1 teaspoon Kosher salt


2 cups fresh cranberries


½ cup buttermilk***

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with orange zest and 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the cranberries with 2 Tablespoons of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk, ending with flour. Fold in the cranberries.  The batter will be very thick, similar to cookie dough.

4. Grease an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with butter.  (I used an 8-inch square baking pan.)  Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining Tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 40 minutes, and then check for doneness by touching the top gently or by inserting a toothpick. If necessary, return pan to oven, check every five minutes or so — it took my cake 50 minutes to cook. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

*** To make homemade buttermilk, place 1 Tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with milk until it reaches the 1-cup line. Let stand for five minutes. Use only ½ cup of the prepared buttermilk mixture for the recipe.