As a result, supermarkets carry things like buttermilk, fresh cranberries, wild mushrooms, persimmon, etc., most of which are not available outside these special days. As you can imagine, as a food blogger, being able to have access to food makes my life much easier. So the other day when I was able to find fresh cranberries I got so excited as I have been meaning to try Ina Garten’s Cranberry Apple Cake for a while now. I immediately picked a few pounds and came back home to make this easy apple cake recipe. As in all Barefoot Contessa recipes, this one didn’t disappoint as well. It was just perfect on my first try. Coincidently, right after it came out of the oven, I got a phone call from a friend who invited me over for a cup of coffee. Since I planned on making another one to photograph, I decided to take this one with me and surprise her with an unexpected treat. Oh man, was it a nice surprise or what? I swear, if you want to make a friend happy make this apple cranberry cake and take it with you. They will love you for it.
How To Make Cranberry Apple Cake:
The process of making this easy apple cake recipe has 3 folds. First, you prep the apple and cranberry mix. To do so, you peel and slice the apples. Then you cut into small (1/2 to 1/4 inch cubes – doesn’t have to be perfect) and mix them with fresh cranberries, cranberries, orange zest and juice along with some cinnamon. I think what makes this recipe so special is the addition of the orange zest and juice as they add a nice and unexpected kick to the end product. Second, you make the batter. To do so, you mix the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream together and then add in the flour. Lastly, you spread the fruit mixture into a pie plate and pour the batter evenly over the apples and cranberries. After 55-60 minutes in a 325 degree oven, you cranberry apple cake is ready. All in all, it takes 15-20 minutes to put it all together and less than an hour to bake. Though in my opinion, the best part is that by the time it comes out of the oven, the house smells like one of those store bought apple, cinnamon, and cranberry candles. If you are in need of an easy cranberry and apple cake recipe that you serve during the holidays, especially on Christmas, I simply cannot imagine a better recipe. In her book Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That?, Ina suggests to serve with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, which, I think, is a marvelous idea. I promise you. Try it, it will be a hit.
If you liked this Cranberry Apple Cake Recipe You Might Also Like:
Cranberry Poached PearsClementine Cranberry Prosecco CocktailHigh Protein Bread with Nuts, Seeds, and CranberriesCranberry Fudge Swirl Cheesecake – Life Love and SugarSugared Cranberries – Vanilla and Bean
Adapted from Ina Garten’s cookbook Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That?
