Cranberry Oats Cake Recipe: This isn’t a fancy, fussy dessert. It’s the cake you make on a lazy Sunday afternoon when the house feels a little chilly and you want to fill it with the warm, spiced smell of baking. It’s hearty from the oats, tangy from the cranberries, and has a humble, comforting texture that goes perfectly with a cup of tea.
Required Ingredients to make Cranberry Oats Cake
For the Cake:
- Old-fashioned rolled oats
- Buttermilk
- Light brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Fresh or frozen cranberries
For the Topping (Optional):
- Rolled oats
- Coarse sugar (e.g., turbinado)
Step By Step Direction
Step 1. Soak & Prep: In a medium bowl, mix your oats and buttermilk together and let them get to know each other for 15-20 minutes. This is the secret for a super moist cake! Meanwhile, turn your oven on to 350°F (175°C) and get your 8×8 inch pan greased or lined.
Step 2. Mix the Wet: Your oat mixture will look nice and thick. Go ahead and stir in the brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Don’t worry about making it perfectly smooth—a few lumps are just fine.
Step 3. Combine Gently: In another bowl, whisk together all your dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Then, gently fold this into your wet batter. Mix it just until the flour disappears.
Step 4. Add the Berries: Toss in most of the cranberries (save a few for the top!) and fold them in carefully. You want to keep those beautiful red berries whole, not smash them.
Step 5. Bake & Cool: Pour everything into your waiting pan. Top it with the last cranberries, a sprinkle of oats, and some coarse sugar. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden. The hardest part? Letting it cool for half an hour before you dive in
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Nutrition | Amount | % Daily Value * |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 310 | |
| Total Fat | 12 g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 65 mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 180 mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 45 g | 16% |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g | 7% |
| Total Sugars | 22 g | |
| Protein | 6 g | |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Calcium | 80 mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1.8 mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 150 mg | 4% |
“The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.“
Final Thought
This Cranberry Oats cake is a hug in dessert form. It’s perfectly balanced—not too sweet, with little bursts of tartness that make each bite interesting. It’s fantastic for breakfast, a snack, or a simple dessert. I hope it finds a happy place in your kitchen.
Also Read: Mango Chia Seed Pudding Recipe (Healthy and Tasty)
FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Question)
Can I use dried cranberries instead?
You can, but they’ll be much sweeter. If you do, reduce the sugar in the recipe by 2 tablespoons and soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 10 minutes to plump them up before folding them in.
I don’t have buttermilk. What can I use?
No problem! Make a quick substitute: place 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup. Add enough regular milk to reach the 1 ½ cup line. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes until it curdles slightly. Then, use as directed.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Absolutely. Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and ensure your oats are certified gluten-free.
Cranberry Oats Cake
Ingredients
Method
- First, in a medium bowl, stir together the rolled oats and buttermilk. Let this sit for 15-20 minutes. This magical step makes the oats soft and gives the cake its wonderfully moist texture.
- While the oats are soaking, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on two sides to make lifting the cake out easier.
- To the soaked oat mixture, add the brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk it all together until it’s just combined. It’s okay if it looks a little lumpy!
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold these dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir until you no longer see streaks of flour, but don’t overmix.
- This is the fun part! Add most of your cranberries to the batter, saving a small handful for the top. Fold them in gently so they don’t get smashed.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the reserved cranberries, the tablespoon of oats, and the coarse sugar. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
My Name is Ravi Sharma, I cover Articles related to Baking, Recipes, Cake Design, Toppers and Many More. I have more than 2 Years of Experience in Writing Food and Baking Article.