Cranberry Cake with Caramel Sauce Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Cranberry Cake with Caramel Sauce Recipe ~ Moist vanilla cake filled with cranberries and covered in a warm caramel sauce! An elegant holiday dessert that is super easy!

When do you guys start the holiday baking frenzy? I never used to start this early…. but being a food blogger has made me way too excited for each new holiday that comes. Except Halloween… and I know Halloween is just around the corner, but I’m just not as good at the cutesy stuff, you know?
But if you wanted to bake up a Cranberry Cake and douse it in warm caramel for Halloween, I think that is perfectly acceptable.
It is that good.
And it’s so much easier than it looks! I think those are the best recipes — simple with few ingredients.
Where do you guys find your baking inspiration? I am a little obsessed with cookbooks and cooking magazines, especially the old ones with recipes that so many people have forgotten about. I find the only way I can really relax is to take a step back from technology and settle in with a good read (droolworthy photos of food don’t hurt either…).
I came across this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine and definitely wanted to try it. That thin, warm caramel sauce just soaks into the cake and is the perfect contrast to the tart cranberries! I will definitely be making this again closer to the holiday season.
This would be the perfect dessert for a Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, or just a quick something sweet when you don’t have a lot of time. The cake is served warm so there’s none of that painful waiting for things to cool so you can dig in!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Cranberry Cake with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries I used frozen
Caramel sauce
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup milk or heavy cream I used milk, the original used heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9” square pan.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until crumbly. Add in egg and milk and beat until combined.
- Add in flour, salt, and baking powder and beat until just combined. Stir in cranberries.
- Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While cake is baking, prepare caramel sauce. In a small pot, melt butter. Add brown sugar and milk or cream and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook over a low boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve warm over warm cake.
Nutrition Information
You might also like these White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes!
Or these Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies!
Be sure to try thi tender, light and fluffy Cranberry Cake that is a festive dessert to serve for the holidays!
Melody Chaney says
So good! My second favorite!
Julie Evink says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed!
Danielle says
Delicious! Will be adding this to my recipe book!
Julie says
Perfect! I’m glad it was a hit!
Malinda says
I loved the combo of the cranberries and the caramel sauce!! I froze extra cranberries just so I can make this again!
Julie says
I’m so glad you loved it!
Alison LaFortune says
I used frozen cranberries and it turned out perfectly! Yum!
Julie says
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed it!
Lisa H says
Yummy! My husband is not a fan of anything tart so the caramel sauce made it a hit!
Julie says
Perfect! I’m glad it was a hit!
cakengifts.in Delhi says
Wow, what a wonderful cake, all my kids always prefer this cake. they like it very much. So at each party we we prefer only this cake.
Sammie says
WAY too many cranberries. Pretty sure it’s been an hour and it will NOT BAKE. Will give it another shot with far less cranberries.
Kelley @ Chef Savvy says
Wow this cranberry cake looks fantastic!! Especially with that warm caramel sauce drizzled on top!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
Yes! I have a whole collection of old cookbooks and magazines I love looking through. So much fun!
Love the gorgeous cranberries in this cake. So perfect for Thanksgiving!