Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake Recipe

Introduction

This Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake is a delicious way to transform your holiday leftovers into a moist, flavorful treat. With a tender crumb and a cinnamon-spiced streusel topping, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. Plus, it’s easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 large egg (whisked)
• ½ cup avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract (1.5 tsp)
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• ½ tablespoon baking powder (1.5 tsp)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Optional: lemon zest or orange zest for added flavor
• Optional: extra ground cinnamon for the cake batter

Instructions

1. Step 1: Measure all ingredients. Allow the milk, sour cream, egg, and leftover cranberry sauce to come to room temperature for best results.
2. Step 2: Fluff the flour with a spoon, then gently spoon it into a dry measuring cup until slightly overfull. Use a butter knife to level it off. Avoid packing or scooping directly with the cup to prevent excess flour.
3. Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
4. Step 4: Line an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.
5. Step 5: Prepare the streusel: In a medium-small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle the melted and cooled butter over the mixture and gently toss with a fork until combined but still crumbly. Do not overmix.
6. Step 6: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt for the cake batter. Set aside.
7. Step 7: In a large bowl, whisk the egg, oil, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until well combined.
8. Step 8: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until just combined. The batter will be thick—do not overmix.
9. Step 9: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Dollop spoonfuls of cranberry sauce spaced evenly on top, then spread them into one layer. It’s fine if the sauce blends a little with the batter.
10. Step 10: Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter.
11. Step 11: Bake for 30–33 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Tips & Variations

• Add lemon or orange zest to the cake batter for a fresh citrus note that complements the cranberry.
• Sprinkle a little extra ground cinnamon into the batter for a spicier flavor.
• Use vegetable oil if you prefer a more neutral taste than avocado oil.
• Leftover cranberry sauce with chunks gives texture, but smoother sauce works well too.

Storage

Store the coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven before serving to restore softness. For longer storage, freeze wrapped tightly for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fresh cranberry sauce instead of leftover?

Yes, fresh cranberry sauce works well for this recipe. Just be sure it’s cooled to room temperature before adding it to the cake batter.

What can I substitute for sour cream?

You can use Greek yogurt or buttermilk as a substitute for sour cream. Both will keep the cake moist and tender with a slight tang.

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 502 reviews

This Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake transforms your leftover cranberry sauce into a moist, spiced coffee cake perfect for breakfast or snack time. Featuring a tender crumb with a cinnamon streusel topping and swirls of tangy cranberry sauce, this cake is baked to golden perfection and delivers a delightful balance of sweetness and tartness.

• Author: Ruby
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30-33 minutes
• Total Time: 45-48 minutes
• Yield: 9 servings (8×8-inch pan, 3×3 inch slices) 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cake Batter

• 1 large egg (whisked)
• ½ cup avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 TBSP milk
• ½ TBSP vanilla extract (1.5 tsp)
• 1.5 cups all purpose flour (180 grams)
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• ½ TBSP baking powder (1.5 tsp)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• lemon zest or orange zest (optional, for flavor boost)
• extra ground cinnamon (optional, can be added to the cake batter)

Streusel Topping

• ¾ cup plus 2 TBSP all purpose flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 TBSP granulated sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 3 TBSP butter (melted and cooled)
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Additional

• 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce

Instructions

1. Prepare Ingredients: Measure out all ingredients. Bring the milk, sour cream, egg, and leftover cranberry sauce to room temperature for best results.
2. Flour Measuring Tip: Fluff the flour with a spoon, then gently spoon it into a dry measuring cup until slightly overfilled. Use a butter knife to level off the excess flour for accurate measurement.
3. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
4. Make the Streusel: In a medium-small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle the warm melted butter over the mixture and gently toss with a fork until combined but still clumpy. Avoid overmixing to maintain a crumbly texture.
5. Mix Dry Ingredients for Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Set aside.
6. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, avocado oil, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
7. Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined. The batter will be thick, so avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
8. Assemble Cake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Spoon the leftover cranberry sauce in spaced dollops across the batter and gently spread into an even layer; some mixing with the batter is fine.
9. Add Streusel: Evenly sprinkle the prepared streusel topping over the cranberry sauce and batter layer.
10. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 33 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
11. Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool slightly before slicing. It can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

Notes

• Using room temperature dairy and eggs helps the batter mix more evenly and produces a better crumb.
• Take care not to overmix the batter to keep the cake tender and avoid toughness.
• The streusel topping should remain clumpy for a delightful texture; overmixing will create a pasty topping.
• You can add lemon or orange zest to the batter for bright, citrus flavor enhancements.
• This cake keeps well for up to 2 days at room temperature, stored in an airtight container, or can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
• Rewarming slightly before serving enhances the flavor and softens the cake.

Keywords: Cranberry sauce coffee cake, leftover cranberry recipe, streusel coffee cake, holiday breakfast cake, spiced coffee cake