Holiday Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

ByLaura Reigel

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If you’re unsure what to do with leftover cranberry sauce — This beautiful cranberry coffee cake recipe is the answer you’ve been waiting for.The base of this coffee cake recipe is delicious on its own, but when you add the fresh cranberry sauce, it becomes even more festive.

Holiday Coffee Cake Recipe (1)

The Best Sour Cream Coffee Cake

The sour cream in this coffee cake gives it a super moist crumb and a wonderful flavor.

Cranberry Coffee Cake is absolutely necessary when we go Christmas Tree Hunting. Our family tradition is to pack up a lovely brunch and bring it to the Christmas tree farm.

Some of our other favorites are hot chocolate, spiked, and not spiked. My brother-in-law usually cooks the bacon on a griddle that he hauls up to the farm. It is always a great time.

Holiday Coffee Cake Recipe (2)

Sour cream makes the crumb on this cake so tender and moist.[/caption]

This Coffee Cake Recipe Starts With My Brandied Cranberry Sauce Recipe

I’ve made this sour cream coffee cake for years.

I usually make it as a cinnamon coffee cake; sometimes I add blueberries or raspberries.

My mother-in-law shared with me a Greek Yogurt Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe.

I decided to combine my tried and true cinnamon coffee cake with a swirl of leftover brandied cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. It was a magical combination!

Holiday Coffee Cake Recipe (3)

The easiest fresh cranberry sauce you can make for Thanksgiving![/caption]

I have a few Cranberry Sauce Recipes, but my Brandied Cranberry sauce is the easiest fresh cranberry sauce that I’ve even made.

Ingredients for Cranberry Sauce

  • 1 bag of fresh Ocean Spray cranberries (12 ounces)
  • 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup of brandy

How To Make Cranberry Sauce

  1. Add the cranberries and the sugar to a large microwave-safe bowl, toss.
  2. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  3. Microwave on high for 10 minutes.
  4. Carefully remove the plastic wrap.
  5. Immediately add the brandy and stir to blend.
  6. Let cool.
  7. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Check out the full post for detailed instructions on making homemade fresh cranberry sauce

I’ve provided stove-top and Instant Pot instructions in this post.

Holiday Coffee Cake Recipe (4)

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I adore cinnamon coffee cake. But adding some fruit to the mix gives you an even better coffee cake.

This coffee cake is gorgeous when baked in a bundt pan. However, you can make this recipe in 2 loaf pans or a cake pan.

This year I plan on making this recipe in a muffin tin. Because what is cuter than Coffee Cake Muffins?

PRO-TIP: Adjust the timing if you use a different pan.

Do not let this holiday season go by without making this coffee cake. I promise you will have no regrets.

I am a big believer in desserts that are worth it. I don’t eat a lot of sweet stuff.

When I indulge in something sweet, I have to ensure that it is completely and utterly worth it. It needs to taste so freakin’ good that I have no regrets about indulging.

This coffee cake fits the bill. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. It’s rich, moist, and cinnamony with a tart bite of cranberry sauce. Then you have the Grand Marnier Glaze.

Other Impressive Breakfast Recipes for Feeding a Crowd

We know the holidays bring many visitors and they’re always hungry! Here are a few recipes to help you get through the holidays hangry-free.

  • Sausage Breakfast Casserole
  • Easy Paleo Breakfast Beast Bowl
  • Creme Brûlée French Toast
  • Maple Pumpkin Spiced Oats
  • French Crepes
  • Banana Bread
  • Cinnamon Rolls
  • The BEST Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe

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Brandied Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake

by: Laura Reigel

Rich sour cream coffee cake, swirled with brandied cranberry sauce and cinnamon streusel then topped with a Grand Marnier glaze. This coffee cake is a home run for the holidays.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Cake, Holiday

Servings 12

Calories 425 kcal

Ingredients

Brandied Cranberry Sauce

  • 1 – 12 oz package of fresh cranberries
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups brandy

Streusel

Cake

Grand Marnier Glaze

  • ¼ cup Grand Marnier
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, adjust to desired consistency

Instructions

Cranberry Sauce

  • Rinse the cranberries well and spread out on a towel to dry.

  • In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine berries and sugar. Stir to coat.

  • Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 10 minutes. Remove from microwave and immediately add brandy, stir to blend.

  • Cool. You will only need about ½ cup for this coffee cake, the rest can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container to enjoy later!

Streusel

  • Combine all of the dry ingredients. Mix well with a fork.

  • Dice the cold butter and cut into dry ingredients (will be crumbly).

  • Set aside for now.

Prep

  • Preheat Oven to 350 °F.

  • Butter and flour the bundt pan.

Cake Batter

  • Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

  • In a separate mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well in between each addition.

  • Add vanilla, greek yogurt and orange zest. Mix until blended.

  • Add dry ingredients and mix until they are just incorporated.

Final Assembly

  • Spoon ½ of the cake batter into the bundt pan.

  • Add dollops of the cranberry sauce (approximately ¼ cup)

  • Sprinkle about ⅔ streusel mixture on top of this. Swirl into batter.

  • Add remaining batter on top.

  • Add another ¼ cup of cranberry sauce, in dollops.

  • Add the rest of the streusel, swirl into batter.

  • Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

  • Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then invert cake on a serving plate.

Grand Marnier Glaze

  • Add powdered sugar and Grand Marnier to a bowl and whisk until smooth.

  • Adjust the amount of sugar to liquor to obtain the right consistency of drizzle. I like mine to be like thin glue.

Laura’s Tips + Notes

  • Internal temp: Bundt cake is completely done when it reaches 200F. Use a probe thermometer (affiliate link) to test.
  • The perfect way to use left over brandied cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving.
  • Optional: Use an extra ¼ cup of Grand Marnier to brush cake before adding the glaze. This allows for a little something-something in the cake. I highly recommend it.
  • If you aren’t keen on the alcohol, you can use milk or orange juice to make a glaze as well.

YOUR OWN NOTES

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 303mgFiber: 2gSugar: 21gCalcium: 67mgIron: 2.2mg

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Share your photos!!! Snap a 📸 and tag @foodologygeek and don’t forget to hashtag #foodologygeek!

Holiday Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)
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