Tart cranberries, sweet spiced cake, this Cranberry Spice Cake an absolutely perfect cake that takes very little effort to make. There’s no icing, no topping, nothing else is required. This is one of the easiest cakes you will ever make!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar and all spices until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip this step.
This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl. Add the butter, vanilla, and orange extract (if desired); mix two more minutes. Stir in the flour until just combined. Add the cranberries and stir to mix throughout.
Spread in a buttered 9x13 pan. (This pan is my favorite!) Bake for 44-50 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting into small slices. Enjoy!
Notes
Gluten-Free Substitution: 1 1/4 cup brown rice flour + 1/2 cup potato starch + 1/4 cup tapioca starch + 1 teaspoon xanthan gum may be substituted for the amount of all-purpose flour listed in the ingredients above.