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This Dark Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake is the perfect combination of rich chocolate and tart juicy cranberries in a tender, buttery cake. Perfect for the season of entertaining!
There are a lot of things I love about this time of year. I look forward to the cooler weather, fires in the wood stove, and pulling out all of our hats and scarves. But the thing I look forward to most this time of year is everything Cranberry. No joke. I have a serious crush on all things cranberry!
As soon as the fresh cranberries start showing up at the store in the fall, I stock up like a crazy lady. I fill the freezer with bags of them to last me for months! It may seem excessive, but one way or another, every last cranberry gets eaten. We take cranberry season very seriously at our house!
Cranberries can be tart, tricky little berries. But once you know how to tame this bright tangy fruit, they add so much color and flavor to your recipes. I’m totally hooked on them! Last year, this Cranberry Orange Spice Cake stole the show at our house.
I made it for every holiday gathering we attended and it was a hit every time. And this Cranberry Pear Tart has been a regular part of our Thanksgiving and Christmas menus for years now. Fall, winter, and all the holidays in between taste like Cranberries at my house.
This year, I set out to find another hit cranberry recipe. When I sliced into this Dark Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake, studded with fresh cranberries and dripping with dark chocolate ganache, I knew I had a winner.
In fact, this Cranberry Bundt Cake has exceeded all my expectations. I’d venture to say it might even be my favorite cranberry recipe yet.
As it turns out, fresh cranberries and chocolate are the perfect combination of flavors. The fudgy, tender, dark chocolate cake almost melts in your mouth.
The cranberries are a sour, fruity pop that is the most delicious surprise in the middle of all that rich, dark chocolate. It’s unexpected, but so good.
You can eat this Cranberry Bundt Cake without all the toppings and it doesn’t disappoint. However, the dark chocolate ganache and cranberry orange sauce really make it something special.
The combinations of sweet and sour, rich and tangy, are just so satisfying. Really, this is one flavor combination you’ve got try!
For more delicious cranberry recipes, try this Homemade Cranberry Sauce and Cranberry Fluff here on My Baking Addiction.
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup milk
- 1 heaping cup fresh or frozen cranberries coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces dark chocolate chopped (or use chocolate chips)
For the Ganache:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces dark chocolate coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Cranberry Sauce:
- 1 8 oz bag of fresh cranberries
- juice of half an orange plus zest
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Thoroughly grease a 12 cup bundt pan.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar and butter with an electric mixer until a thick paste forms. Beat in each egg, one at a time. When the mixture looks smooth, beat in the vanilla.
- With the mixer speed on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing until combined. Add half of the milk and mix until combined. Repeat until all of the flour and milk has been added.
- Gently fold in the cranberries and dark chocolate pieces. Transfer mixture to prepared bundt pan. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Carefully turn out of pan onto wire rack and cool completely. Serve with Chocolate Ganache and Cranberry Sauce.
For theGanache:
- Set a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water.
- Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and 3 ounces dark chocolate in the bowl, stirring often until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
For the Cranberry Sauce:
- Add all the ingredients to a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until cranberries pop and mixture is thick.
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What kind of dark chocolate did you use? There are so many types with different percentages of cacao…
Sorry I missed this question, Miranda. I think your other comment said you used 70% and that worked out well! Have a great day!
-Jamie
Hey Jamie,
Chocolate cake is my favorite.I will definitely gonna try it. I would suggest, if you share some tips too with us on your blog related to health. It will be helpful.
Keep up the great work :)
Cheers,
Kristen
Thanks for the suggestions, Kristen! I’ll see what I can do!
Flavor was super but it was way too dry, Happily I had made extra cranberry sauce so everyone had that to add so I guess all is well that ends well.
Why would it be so dry? I used the exact ingredients and cooked for 60 minutes
Hi, Phil! I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor of the cake. I wonder if maybe your oven is a bit warmer…? I appreciate your feedback!
Can this cake be made ahead and froze?
Hi, Cindy! I think you could make the cake ahead and freeze just the cake. When you’re ready to serve, apply the ganache and cranberry sauce. I hope you like it!
This is the best cake that i have made and ate in a loooong time! Must try!
Thank you, Jetta! I’m really glad you liked it!
Holy deliciousness. Cake and chocolate and cranberries and more chocolate? You are speaking my language here, girl! MUST try this!
I hope you like it, Karly! xxoo
This cake stopped me in my tracks at Foodgawker. Gorgeous. I, too, am a fan of cranberry and chocolate, but I’m not sure I’ve ever made anything as sexy as this. Fantastic, and pinned all over!
Thank you so much, Jenni!
Dear Jamie,
This is really great ! Four seasons! Thank you !
You’re welcome!
I get so jealous of cranberry season! In NZ they are very hard to get as there is a single specialty farm that grows them – will have to look out for some frozen and see what I can do!
Good luck, Kearin! I hope you get a hold of some cranberries!
Made this cake for Thanksgiving but my cake was already overdone at 55 min! Take care when you bake.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Becky! Every oven is different, so there may be several different outcomes. I hope you had a good holiday!