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This cranberry orange cake with pecan streusel delivers the perfect balance of tart, sweet, and nutty flavors with a tender crumb and irresistible crunchy topping.


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What makes this dish special
Ever since I started baking with cranberries, I get so excited to create a new cranberry dessert once the holidays arrive. Cranberries are such a wonderful tart ingredient that can be incorporated and paired with so many different flavors. So far, I've paired them with chocolate and almonds to make a beautiful cranberry streusel chocolate almond tart, and pears to make cranberry pear hand pies.
This year, I went with the classic pairing of pecans, oranges, and cranberries and took a simple route by creating a cake. This dessert is easy to make, but looks fancy and tastes even better. The combination of tart cranberries, bright orange, and that buttery pecan streusel on top? Absolutely irresistible.
Ingredients

- Pecans: Add a rich, buttery crunch and nutty flavor to the streusel topping, creating textural contrast against the soft, tender cake.
- Orange: The zest provides intense citrus flavor while the juice adds moisture, acidity and tangy sweetness to the cake.
- Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and creates a tender, soft crumb in the cake. You can substitute it with sour cream, plain yogurt, or buttermilk.
- Cranberries: Contribute bursts of flavor throughout the cake, adding tartness and visual appeal.
Substitutions and variations
- Nuts: Try this recipe with hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts for the streusel.
- Add-ins: You can add chocolate chips or toffee chips for a sweeter cake.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour for the streusel and cake.
Recipe
Cranberry Orange Cake with Pecan Streusel
Ingredients
Pecan streusel
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup chopped raw pecans (55 grams)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (30 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 9 tablespoons melted butter (127 grams)
Cranberry orange cake
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 ½ tablespoons orange zest (about 2 oranges)
- ½ cup softened butter (113 grams)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (57 grams)
- ¼ cup orange juice (62 ml)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 cups cranberries (200 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
- Make the pecan streusel. Combine flour, granulated sugar, pecans, powdered sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour melted butter, stirring until well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare cake batter. Combine sugar and orange zest in a small bowl, rubbing them together to release the citrus oils from the zest.
- Add sugar mixture to a stand mixer along with butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add egg, beating until well combined. Alternatively, used a hand mixer.
- Whisk together vanilla, Greek yogurt, and orange juice together until smooth in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, combine flour with baking powder and salt. Add half of the wet ingredients to the cake batter, followed by half of the dry ingredients. Repeat once more, stirring just until combined.
- Add cranberries to cake batter, gently stirring until combined. Transfer cake batter to prepared cake pan, spreading it into one even layer. Sprinkle pecan streusel on top.
- Bake cake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make pecan streusel
Let's start with the streusel topping, which is probably the easiest part of this whole recipe. You'll combine flour, granulated sugar, chopped pecans, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl, then pour in melted butter and stir until everything comes together.
We're using melted butter rather than cold butter because well frankly, it's easier to incorporate.

Also, cold butter would give you more of a solid, dense topping, but melted butter allows the streusel to spread slightly and create that perfect crunchy but tender texture we're after.
Don't worry if it looks super crumbly-that's exactly what you want! Just set it aside while you make the cake batter.
Step 2: Prepare cake batter
Now for the cake itself. Before you do anything else, combine the sugar and orange zest in a small bowl and rub them together with your fingers. This releases all those citrus oils from the zest and infuses the sugar with incredible orange flavor.
It's such a simple step but it ensures that orange flavor gets distributed throughout the entire cake. You can also beat the sugar and zest in a stand mixer until well combined, if you don't want to get your hands dirty.

Once that's done, add the sugar mixture and softened butter to your stand mixer and beat it until light and fluffy. This should take about three to four minutes. This creaming process is important because it incorporates air into the batter, which helps create a light, tender crumb.
You'll know it's ready when the mixture looks pale and almost doubled in volume. Add the egg and beat until combined, then you'll alternate adding the wet ingredients and dry ingredients.
Mix just until combined since overmixing can lead to a tough, dense cake. Finally, gently fold in those beautiful cranberries.
Step 3: Bake
Transfer your batter to a greased nine-inch cake pan and spread it into an even layer. I used a 9-inch square pan but you can also use a round cake pan.
Sprinkle that crumbly pecan streusel all over the top. It might look like too mush streusel, but just go with it. Trust me.
Pop the pan into a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You'll know it's done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The streusel should be golden brown and crispy, and your kitchen will smell absolutely amazing. Let the cake cool completely before slicing. I know it's tempting to dig in right away, but letting it cool helps the texture set properly and makes it much easier to cut clean slices.
This cranberry orange cake with pecan streusel is perfect for holiday gatherings, weekend brunch, or honestly any time you're craving something that tastes fancy but doesn't require fancy skills.

Make-ahead and storage tips
- Make-ahead: You can make the pecan streusel ahead of time and store it in the refridgerator until ready to use.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep in the refridgerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently asked questions
Fresh is highly recommended for the best flavor. The zest especially adds intense orange flavor. Bottled juice works in a pinch, but avoid using dried zest.
Yes! You can use frozen cranberries without thawing them first. Just toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter to prevent them from sinking and bleeding color throughout the cake.
Yes, this cake freezes well. Let it cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More holiday dessert recipes
Looking for more desserts with cranberries? Try these:
















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