Holiday Spiced Cranberry and Orange Zest Discard Cake
A tender, fragrant holiday cake made with sourdough discard, studded with tart fresh cranberries and perfumed with warm spices and bright orange zest. The discard adds moisture and subtle tang while the cranberries burst with juice during baking, creating pockets of brightness throughout. Topped with a light spiced sugar crust, this cake is perfect for holiday gatherings or whenever you need to use up your sourdough starter.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Wait
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 35 min
- Makes
- 1 cake (8 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease and flour a 9-inch (23 cm) round or 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square cake pan
- Bring eggs to room temperature
- Pat fresh cranberries dry with paper towels to prevent sinking
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture
Tip: Whisk the spices with the flour to ensure they're evenly distributed and prevent streaks of spice in the baked cake
Combine wet ingredients
- In another bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, orange zest, and vanilla extract until well combined and smooth.
- The mixture should be homogeneous with no visible streaks of discard.
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Ready when: All ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth
Tip: Whisk vigorously to fully incorporate the sourdough discard, which can clump if not broken up thoroughly
Combine wet and dry
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Do not overmix; stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain.
- The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of flour in the batter
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough; stop stirring as soon as the flour is incorporated
Fold in cranberries
- Gently fold the dried cranberries into the batter using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Use 10–12 folding motions to distribute them evenly throughout without deflating the batter.
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Ready when: Cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: Dry cranberries so they don't sink to the bottom of the cake during baking; toss them lightly in 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture before folding if desired
Prepare topping
- In a small bowl, mix the 1 tablespoon granulated sugar with 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon until evenly combined.
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Ready when: Sugar and cinnamon are evenly mixed
Transfer and top
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping evenly over the surface.
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Ready when: Batter is in the pan and topped with the spiced sugar mixture
Tip: Don't press down on the batter when smoothing; a light touch keeps the cake tender
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 42–48 minutes.
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter), and the top is golden brown.
- The edges may pull slightly away from the sides of the pan.
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Ready when: Toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter; top is golden brown
Tip: Don't overbake or the sourdough discard cake will become dry; underbaking is better here since the discard adds moisture
Cool in pan
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- This allows the structure to set so the cake doesn't break when turned out.
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Ready when: Cake has cooled enough that you can touch the sides comfortably
Tip: Cooling in the pan prevents the delicate cake from breaking apart
Turn out and cool completely
- Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake.
- Place a wire rack or serving plate over the top and carefully invert the cake onto the rack.
- Let it cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Cake is completely cool and stable
Tip: If serving warm, let the cake cool for at least 15 minutes so it holds together when sliced
Good to know
Tips
- Sourdough discard adds moisture and a subtle tang that pairs beautifully with cranberries and warm spices. Don't skip this ingredient if you have active discard available.
- The toothpick test is your best guide here: moist crumbs mean the cake is done. If it looks wet, bake for another 2–3 minutes and test again.
- If you prefer a less tangy cake, use discard that's been fed 4–6 hours before, rather than discard that's just been separated from an active starter.
- Dried cranberries can be substituted for fresh in equal weight, though they're less tart and won't burst with juice during baking. Fresh cranberries are preferred for moisture and brightness.
Make ahead
You can bake this cake up to 2 days ahead. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Warm slices gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes before serving if desired.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: 2 days, wrapped tightly. Refrigerator: 4 days, wrapped tightly. Freezer: 3 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours before serving. The cake stays moist thanks to the sourdough discard.
Substitutions
- fresh cranberries → fresh or frozen blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries. Use the same weight. Frozen berries should be thawed and drained before folding in. The tartness and flavor profile will differ, but the cake will be equally moist and delicious.
- fresh orange → lemon zest or lime zest. Use the same amount. The spice-citrus balance will shift slightly, but both are equally festive.
- neutral oil → melted unsalted butter. Use the same amount. This will add richness and a slightly more tender crumb.
- sourdough discard → 1 cup (240 ml) plain yogurt or sour cream mixed with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. If you don't have sourdough discard, this combination provides similar moisture and tang, though you'll lose the subtle sourdough flavor.
