Mini Cranberry Bundt Cakes

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luluesque-cranberry bundt cakes

‘Tis the season for cranberries and the holidays are the perfect time to do some baking! A “cranberry muffin” Google search yielded a nice selection of recipes for inspiration. This Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffin recipe from Taste of Home, in particular, caught my eye; it had me at “cream cheese.” 🙂

These are amazingly dense and moist, reminding me of poundcake—but with a nicely balanced addition of sweetness and tartness. I find them delicious with a cup of tea or coffee at breakfast or with a glass of milk in the afternoon.

NOTE: I modified the recipe ever so slightly by 1) using as many organic ingredients as possible, 2) replacing 1/2 cup pecans with 1/2 cup dried cranberries, and 3) replaced 1/2 cup butter with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt.

INGREDIENTS: Yields 10-12 mini bundt cakes or large muffins.

  • organic vegetable oil ~ I’m using coconut/canola oil blend 
  • 1/2 cup organic butter (1 stick) ~ softened
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese ~ softened
  • 1 & 1/2 cups organic evaporate cane sugar
  • 4 organic eggs
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons organic vanilla
  • 2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour ~ I’m using King Arthur brand
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups fresh (or frozen) cranberries
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream butter, yogurt, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until you get a smooth batter.
  4. Stir in the dry ingredients from step #2 into the batter, just until moistened.
  5. Gently fold in fresh and dried cranberries.
  6. Grease your mini nonstick bundt cake pans with oil by using a silicone brush.  
  7. Sprinkle some cinnamon into the empty bundt pans. Fill each cup three-fourths full. Alternatively, you can use giant muffin tins as well.
  8. Sprinkle some more cinnamon on the batter.
  9. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cakes comes out clean.