Cranberry Pecan Cake

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish. (See note below for recommendations on best pans to use.)

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

3. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until creamy and combined, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) On medium speed, add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula and beat again as needed to combine. (Mixture may appear curdled—that’s ok.) With the mixer on low speed, pour in the dry ingredients and milk/orange juice and beat until smooth and combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick. Fold in the cranberries and pecans. Spread into prepared pan. Set aside.

4. Combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or a fork (or even with your hands) until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the pecans. Sprinkle evenly over batter.

5. Bake for 40-55 minutes. Baking times vary greatly depending on the pan you’re using. A thick ceramic pan (as pictured) will take longer than a metal springform pan. Keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when the edges are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.

6. Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.

7. As the cake slightly cools, you can make the icing by whisking the icing ingredients together until smooth. Add more milk/cream/orange juice to thin out if needed. Drizzle icing over cake while it’s still warm. Slice and serve.

8. Cover and store leftover cake at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.