Cranberry Bitters Cake (The Gen Z Fruitcake Remix)
Tart-sweet cranberries, citrus zest, a touch of spice, and no neon mystery fruit in sight. Baked into a moist olive oil or butter cake, then finished with a glowing cranberry-glaze “jelly cap,” edible flowers, and a crushed pistachio crown.
Servings 8 1 loaf or 8″ round cake Serves 8–10 Optional: scale into minis or muffin-sized molds
Calories 230kcal
Ingredients
- For the Cake
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup sugar or coconut sugar for deeper flavor
- ½ cup olive oil or softened butter
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom or allspice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup buttermilk or plant yogurt + 1 tsp vinegar
- Glaze/Jelly Cap
- ¾ cup cranberry juice unsweetened
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp unflavored gelatin or agar agar powder bloomed in 2 tbsp water
- Optional: splash of orange liqueur or non-alcoholic bitters
- Toppings
- Edible flowers
- Crushed pistachios
- Candied orange peel freeze-dried cranberries, or rose petals
- A bit of edgy sea salt flakes trust
Instructions
- Step 1: Prep the Cranberries
- Toss cranberries with 1 tbsp sugar and orange zest. Let them sit while prepping the cake — they’ll soften and sparkle.
- Step 2: Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F convection). Grease and line a loaf or round cake pan.
- In a bowl, whisk oil/butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth.
- In a second bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices.
- Add dry to wet ingredients in two parts, alternating with buttermilk.
- Fold in cranberries (reserve a few for garnish if desired).
- Bake 40–45 min, until golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Step 3: Make the Glaze Cap
- Bloom gelatin or agar in water for 5 minutes.
- Heat cranberry juice + sweetener gently in a saucepan.
- Whisk in bloomed gelatin (or agar), stir until fully dissolved.
- Let cool 5–10 minutes (until just warm), then pour gently over cooled cake.
- Chill until set — about 20–30 minutes in the fridge.
- Step 4: Decorate & Serve
- Top with:
- Crushed pistachios
- Dried orange or lemon curls
- Edible petals or herbs
- A dust of powdered sugar or sparkle sugar
- Sea salt flakes or a drop of bitters for edge
Notes
Nutrition (per slice, est. 1/10 cake)
- Calories: ~230
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbs: 25 g
- Sugar: 12 g
- Protein: 3 g
🔥 Why This Is The New Fruitcake
- No weird chunks – just gorgeous real fruit
- Sleek jelly cap = maximum visual drama
- Layers of flavor: tart, sweet, citrus, spice
- Looks amazing on socials
- Totally remixable (add ginger, earl grey, blood orange…)
🛡️ Consumer Safety Note
⚠️ Contains eggs, gluten, and optional gelatin. Label accordingly. If using gelatin: bloom properly and avoid overheating. Use food-safe flowers.
