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ellie's cranberry cake with lemon butter sauce

(16 ratings)
BlueRibbonBaking avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Mary Louise
@BlueRibbonBaking
Marshfield, WI

This is a very old recipe that belonged to my grandmother. Her name was also Mary Louise, but she went by the name Louise. I am not sure where this recipe was, but about five years ago was the first time I tasted it. My mother made this when I went home to visit with my friend who was visiting from England. Needless to say, my friend was crazy about this cake and so was I. This cake has to be served with the lemon butter sauce or you can not fully enjoy it. It is easy to make and perfect to share with friends and a cup of coffee or tea.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

This is a fluffy, tender cake that has cranberries in every bite. The cake is not overly sweet. Where this cake becomes amazing is the lemon butter sauce. It's buttery and rich with just the right amount of citrus flavor. There's something about lemon and cranberry flavors mixed that is just divine. Perfect with an afternoon coffee in the fall when cranberries are in season. With bold and delicious flavors, it's a must for your holiday gatherings too.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(16 ratings)
yield 9 -12
prep time 20 Min
cook time 40 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For ellie's cranberry cake with lemon butter sauce

  • 1 c
    sugar
  • 3 Tbsp
    butter, room temperature
  • 1 c
    milk
  • 2 c
    cake flour
  • 2 tsp
    baking powder
  • pinch
    salt
  • 1 tsp
    vanilla
  • 2 c
    cranberries, cut in half (fresh is best or frozen)
  • LEMON BUTTER SAUCE
  • 1/2 c
    butter
  • 1 c
    brown sugar
  • 16 oz
    boiling water
  • 2 Tbsp
    all-purpose flour
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1 tsp
    pure vanilla extract

How To Make ellie's cranberry cake with lemon butter sauce

Test Kitchen Tips
There are no eggs in this cake, so it's a great dessert for someone with an egg allergy. Also, in our oven, we had to bake this about 7-10 minutes longer until our tester came out clean.
  • Beating butter and sugar in a bowl with vanilla extract.
    1
    Beat sugar and butter. Add vanilla.
  • Sifting flour, baking powder, and salt.
    2
    In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt together.
  • Adding milk and flour to butter mixture.
    3
    Alternate adding flour and milk to sugar/butter mixture.
  • Mixed until ingredients are combined.
    4
    Mix until combined.
  • Folding in cranberries.
    5
    Fold in cranberries.
  • Batter poured into a greased baking dish.
    6
    Pour into a greased and floured square 8 or 9 inch pan.
  • Cake baking in the oven.
    7
    Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.
  • Boiling butter, brown sugar, flour, and boiling water for the sauce.
    8
    While the cake is baking you can prepare the sauce. In a saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, and boiling water. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute or until thickened. The sauce should be thick like gravy, not too thick. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and vanilla.
  • Ellie's Cranberry Cake With Lemon Butter Sauce cooled.
    9
    Cool the cake. Cake can be served warm from the oven or cool. Serve cake with hot sauce. TIP: Mom always made the cake and sauce ahead of time. She stored the sauce in a glass jar in the refrigerator and reheated it when she served the cake.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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