Christmas Cranberry Recipes By: Julie Lence

For most people, Christmas season is a favorite time of year. Shopping, wrapping, tree-trimming and all the rest keep us running on borrowed energy. So does planning the Christmas Day menu. Each year, I cook up something Italian, and very rarely think of slaving in the kitchen preparing a made-from-scratch dessert. Whatever the store has is good enough for me, and for hubby and kiddo. But every year, I also say, ‘we should have something different’. As a child, I wasn’t a fan of cranberries, but the last few years, they’ve grown on me. Below are two recipes I pulled off the internet. They seem simple enough, so maybe this year we will have something different. And if you haven’t tried them, maybe you will, too.

Either way, I’m sending you and your loved ones Christmas Blessings. May your holiday season be fun, healthy, and safe. Hugs!

Cranberry Bundt Cake:

Ingredients:

·        2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (for greasing the pan)

·        1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour or more as needed to flour the pan

·        2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·        1 teaspoon baking powder

·        3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

·        12 ounces fresh cranberries (1 bag)

·        1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

·        2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

·        2 cups sugar

·        1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·        4 large eggs at room temperature

·        1/2 cup sour cream

·        1 cup confectioners' sugar or more as needed

·        1/4 cup orange juice or more as needed

·        pinch of kosher salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter and flour a 9" bundt pan.

2. I recommend using 2 tablespoons unsalted butter that is softened to room temperature. Use your fingers to work the butter into the grooves of the pan. It's important to make sure you coat every bit of the pan to ensure the cake releases nicely so it looks purty.

3. Sprinkle with flour and distribute evenly throughout the pan.  Discard any excess flour.

4. Combine 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

5. Whisk to mix well and set aside.

6. Place 12 ounces fresh cranberries (1 bag) in a small bowl and pick through them to weed out any mushy ones.

7. Add 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and toss gently to coat the cranberries.

8. Set aside until ready to use.

9. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 sticks softened butter with 2 cups sugar.

10.       Mix on low to combine and then turn up the speed to mid-high and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

11.       Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

12.       Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, mixing after each addition until combined.

13.       Mix in 1/2 the flour mixture until combined and add 1/2 cup sour cream and mix well.

14.       Add in the remaining flour mixture until just combined and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all flour is mixed in.

15.       Gently fold cranberries into the batter.

16.       Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth to even out.

17.       Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes until the top springs back when pressed gently or a cake tester inserted comes out clean.

18.       Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes.

19.       Carefully run a flat edge, such as a butter knife, around the edge of the pan to loosen and also around the center hole.

20.       Place a cooling rack over top of the cake pan and carefully flip the cake pan over so the cake slides out onto the cooling rack. The cake pan will be hot, so be sure to protect your hands.

21.       Allow cake to cool completely.

22.       Prepare the sweet orange glaze by combining 1 cup confectioners' sugar with 1/4 cup orange juice and a pinch of kosher salt.

23.       Mix well to combine.

24.       Add more sugar to thicken or more orange juice to thin to your desired consistency.

25.       When cake is cooled, drizzle the glaze over the cake.

26.       Garnish with fresh cranberries and enjoy!

https://ohsweetbasil.com/cranberry-bundt-cake-recipe/

Cranberry Cobbler

Ingredients”

·        6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted + more for the pan

·        1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

·        3/4 cup + 4 Tbsp sugar

·        1 cup all-purpose flour

·        1 1/4 tsp baking powder

·        Pinch of cinnamon

·        1/4 tsp salt

·        1/2 cup whole milk

·        1 large egg

·        1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet.

1. In a small bowl, toss together the cranberries and 4 Tbsp of sugar. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, milk, sugar, egg and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring to combine.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared cast iron skillet. Scatter the sugared cranberries over the top of the batter evenly.

5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature (surprisingly awesome at room temp by the way!).

https://www.cakenknife.com/christmas-cranberry-cobbler/

**Note: Food Images taken from their respective recipe site.