Irresistible Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake: An Easy Recipe with Gingerbread Spices
Prepare to be enchanted by this truly irresistible Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake. Imagine a moist, tender crumb embracing bursts of sweet-tart cranberries and the satisfying crunch of walnuts, all elevated by the comforting aroma and subtle warmth of gingerbread spices. This isn’t just a cake; it’s a delightful experience that promises to be the star of your breakfast table, brunch spread, or afternoon coffee break. And the best part? It’s remarkably easy to make, delivering exquisite flavor without demanding hours in the kitchen.
This delightful pound cake is one of those exceptional sweet treats that truly leaves no trace. We’re talking about a cake so good, even the crumbs mysteriously vanish! Its rich, creamy texture, combined with the vibrant flavors and pleasing textures, ensures every slice is savored. You’ll be amazed at how quickly this showstopper comes together, ready to be enjoyed in just over an hour. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting your culinary journey, this recipe is designed for success, yielding a perfectly balanced and utterly delicious cake every time.
Why This Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake Will Be Your New Favorite
There’s something truly special about a homemade coffee cake, and this cranberry walnut version is no exception. It hits all the right notes: it’s moist, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. Here’s why this recipe deserves a permanent spot in your baking repertoire:
- Effortless Elegance: Despite its impressive appearance and gourmet taste, this cake is surprisingly simple to prepare. With straightforward steps and readily available ingredients, you can achieve professional-quality results in your own kitchen.
- Perfect Flavor Harmony: The natural tartness of cranberries beautifully complements the richness of walnuts, creating a delightful contrast with the cake’s sweetness. The addition of gingerbread spices introduces a warm, comforting layer of flavor that makes each bite feel like a cozy embrace.
- Texture Wonderland: From the tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb to the chewy, plump cranberries and the satisfying crunch of walnuts, this cake offers an exciting textural experience that keeps you coming back for more.
- Versatile for Any Occasion: Whether served warm with a cup of coffee for breakfast, as an elegant addition to a holiday brunch, or as a comforting dessert after dinner, this coffee cake is wonderfully versatile. It’s perfect for family gatherings, potlucks, or simply as a treat for yourself.
- Quick to Bake: In just over an hour, you can transform simple ingredients into a fragrant, golden-brown masterpiece. This makes it an ideal choice for when you need a delicious homemade treat without a lengthy baking process.
The Star Ingredients: Cranberries, Walnuts, and Gingerbread Spice
Each component of this cake plays a crucial role in its outstanding flavor profile:
Plump, Tart Cranberries
Dried cranberries are fantastic here, offering concentrated bursts of sweet-tart flavor and a chewy texture that beautifully punctuates the smooth cake batter. Soaking them briefly in hot water before adding them to the batter ensures they are plump and juicy, preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the pan and distributing their vibrant taste evenly throughout the cake. Their natural acidity also helps to cut through the richness of the cake, creating a balanced and refreshing taste.
Crunchy, Earthy Walnuts
Walnuts bring a wonderful crunch and a distinct nutty flavor that pairs exquisitely with cranberries and spices. Their healthy fats contribute to the cake’s moistness and richness, while their texture provides a satisfying counterpoint to the soft cake. Chopping them ensures they are evenly dispersed and contribute to the cake’s structural integrity, offering a delightful surprise in every forkful.
Warm Gingerbread Spices
The secret weapon in this coffee cake is a generous helping of gingerbread spices. This blend, often referred to as speculaas spices in Dutch baking, typically includes cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and sometimes ginger, anise, or white pepper. These spices infuse the cake with a comforting warmth and aromatic depth that makes it feel particularly inviting, especially during cooler months. It’s this subtle spicy note that elevates the cake from merely good to truly unforgettable, adding a layer of complexity that sets it apart from typical coffee cakes.
Tips for Baking the Perfect Coffee Cake
Achieving a bakery-quality coffee cake at home is simpler than you might think. Follow these tips for a consistently perfect result:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your egg and milk are at room temperature. This helps them emulsify better with the oil and sugar, leading to a smoother batter and a more uniform, tender cake texture.
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which can result in a tough, dense cake. A few lumps are perfectly fine!
- Prepare Your Pan: Thoroughly buttering and lightly flouring your loaf tin prevents sticking and ensures your beautiful cake slides out effortlessly once baked and cooled.
- Soak Your Cranberries: As mentioned, soaking dried cranberries for 10 minutes in hot water will rehydrate them, making them plump and juicy. Don’t forget to drain and pat them dry before adding to the batter to avoid excess moisture.
- Test for Doneness: The best way to check if your cake is done is to insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, your cake is ready.
- Cooling is Key: Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack. This allows the cake to firm up slightly, preventing it from breaking. Cooling completely on a wire rack ensures good air circulation and prevents sogginess.
Serving Suggestions for Your Coffee Cake
This Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake is delicious on its own, but here are some ideas to make it even more special:
- Classic Coffee Pairing: As its name suggests, this cake is a match made in heaven with a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea.
- Creamy Accompaniments: Serve a slice with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a spoonful of crème fraîche for an extra touch of indulgence.
- Fresh Fruit: A side of fresh berries or a light fruit compote can add a lovely freshness and brightness.
- Warm it Up: A quick zap in the microwave can warm up individual slices, enhancing the aroma of the spices and making the cake even more comforting.
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Need more inspiration?
- You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
- And don’t forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!
Other Delightful Baking Recipes You Might Enjoy
If you loved this Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake, you might also enjoy exploring some of my other popular cake recipes. Each one is crafted with simplicity and flavor in mind, perfect for home bakers looking for their next sweet adventure:
- Easy Tangerine Pound Cake {with Yogurt}
- Cake with Cranberry Topping
- Stroopwafel Cake (Dutch Syrup Waffle Cake)
📖 Recipe Card
RECIPE CARD
Andréa
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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A conventional oven is used. When using a convection oven (with air fan) decrease the temperature with 30 °F / 20 °C
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loaf / pound cake tin 6 inches / 15 cm
Ingredients
- 100 grams cranberries, dried
- 1 egg, size L
- 250 grams self-rising flour, (or 245 grams flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder)
- 2 teaspoons gingerbread spices
- 250 grams sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 80 ml sunflower oil
- 75 grams walnuts, chopped
- 240 ml milk
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 340 degrees Fahrenheit / 170 degrees Celsius.
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Brush a cake tin with butter.
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Soak the cranberries for 10 minutes in hot water. Drain and dry.
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In a bowl mix the dry ingredients: self-rising flour, salt, and gingerbread spices.
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In a second bowl mix the oil with the sugar for 2 minutes (until it’s foamy) on high speed.
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Add the egg and mix until the egg is incorporated.
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Pour the milk with the liquids and mix for 1 minute.
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Turn the mixer on low speed and add the dry ingredients. When the ingredients are mixed turn the mixer off.
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Add the cranberries and walnuts and mix them through the batter with a spatula.
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Pour the batter in the tin and bake for 60 minutes in the oven, until the cake is golden brown and done.
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Take the cake from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes.
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Then get the cake out of the tin and let it cool down on a wire rack.
Notes
If you don’t have gingerbread spices you can easily prepare them yourself (they’re also called speculaas spices in Dutch). If you want to make your own spice blend use this basic recipe. Mix the following spices in a small bowl:
- 4 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons of ground nutmeg
- 3 teaspoons of ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons of ground anise seeds
- 2 teaspoons of coriander
- 1 teaspoon white pepper.
But a small note: everybody has their own spice mix. Sometimes ground ginger is added, or a teaspoon of cardamom (or the quantities are adapted). So bake, taste, and adapt (if you want to).
Nutrition
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake
- Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?
- Yes, you can! If using fresh cranberries, you might want to increase the sugar by a tablespoon or two, as fresh cranberries are more tart. Toss them with a spoonful of flour before adding to the batter to prevent them from sinking.
- What if I don’t have self-rising flour?
- No problem! You can easily make your own self-rising flour. For every 1 cup (125g) of all-purpose flour, whisk in 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. For this recipe, that would be 245 grams of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder, plus the salt already listed.
- Can I substitute the walnuts?
- Absolutely! Pecans or almonds would make excellent substitutions, offering their own unique flavor and crunch. You could also use a mix of nuts if you prefer.
- How should I store this coffee cake?
- Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. Make sure it’s well-wrapped to prevent it from drying out.
- Can I freeze this cake?
- Yes, this coffee cake freezes beautifully! Once completely cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, and you can even gently warm it before serving.
Conclusion: A Taste of Homemade Perfection
This Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake with its subtle gingerbread spice is more than just a dessert; it’s a testament to the joy of simple, delicious homemade baking. With its delightful blend of textures and flavors, and an easy-to-follow recipe, it’s destined to become a cherished favorite in your home. So go ahead, preheat your oven, gather your ingredients, and prepare to bake a cake that will bring smiles and warmth to everyone who tastes it. Happy baking!
After generating the content, I will do a quick word count check.
Let’s quickly count the words for the added content to ensure it meets the 900-word requirement.
Original descriptive text + original recipe card text (excluding lists, assuming they are just words) would be roughly:
– “A cranberry walnut coffee cake… easy recipe!” (25 words)
– “This pound cake… eaten away.” (25 words)
– “Did you make this… enormously.” (50 words)
– “Need more inspiration…” (20 words)
– Recipe card summary (25 words)
– Recipe notes (about 100 words)
Total original descriptive: ~245 words.
I need to add about 650-700 words.
Let’s estimate the added content:
– H1 + meta description (40 words)
– Introduction paragraphs (100 words)
– “Why This Cake Will Be Your New Favorite” section (200 words)
– “Star Ingredients” section (250 words)
– “Tips for Baking” section (200 words)
– “Serving Suggestions” section (100 words)
– “Other Delightful Baking Recipes” intro (30 words)
– “FAQs” section (300 words)
– “Conclusion” (100 words)
Total estimated added content: ~1320 words. This is more than enough to meet the 900-word requirement, even accounting for specific recipe card elements being counted compactly. The HTML structure is maintained, SEO elements are added, language is simple and fluent, and repetitions are removed/minimized by expanding on concepts rather than just restating.