Irresistibly Moist Cranberry Coffee Cake with Buttery Cinnamon Streusel

Prepare to be enchanted by this utterly delightful Cranberry Coffee Cake! Each bite offers a harmonious blend of perfectly moist and tender cake, studded with vibrant fresh cranberries, and crowned with a generous layer of buttery cinnamon streusel. The aroma alone, as it bakes, is enough to fill your home with warmth and holiday cheer, promising a treat that’s ready in about an hour and is sure to impress every guest this festive season.

Why You’ll Adore This Cranberry Coffee Cake

This isn’t just any coffee cake; it’s a celebration of flavors and textures designed to brighten your day and impress your loved ones. Here’s why this Cranberry Coffee Cake is bound to become a staple in your holiday baking repertoire:

• Vibrant Flavor & Color: Fresh cranberries are the stars, adding not only stunning ruby-red pops of color but also a delightful tartness that perfectly cuts through the sweetness of the cake. This creates a wonderfully balanced and exciting flavor profile that’s never cloyingly sweet, making each bite a refreshing surprise.
• Irresistible Streusel Crunch: The golden-brown sugar streusel topping provides the most satisfying sweet and buttery crunch, reminiscent of my popular cinnamon crumb muffins. It’s the perfect textural contrast to the soft cake below and infuses every bite with warm, aromatic cinnamon. The irresistible crumble adds a homely touch that elevates the entire experience.
• Perfect for Holiday Gatherings: Whether you’re planning a festive holiday dessert spread or a cozy Christmas morning brunch, this coffee cake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Its elegant appearance, comforting aromas, and delicious flavors make it an ideal centerpiece for any special occasion, creating lasting memories around the table.
• Convenient Make-Ahead Option: Need to save time during the busy holiday season? This coffee cake freezes beautifully! You can bake it well in advance, store it, and enjoy freshly tasting slices weeks later, making your entertaining effortless and stress-free. It’s perfect for prepping ahead of time, allowing you more moments to cherish with family and friends.
• Unmatched Moist & Tender Crumb: Thanks to the winning combination of sour cream and Lifeway kefir, this cake boasts an exceptionally moist and tender crumb that practically melts in your mouth. The kefir adds a subtle tang and contributes to an incredibly soft texture that will have everyone asking for the recipe. This unique blend of dairy ensures a cake that stays fresh and delightful for longer.

Essential Ingredients for Your Fluffy Cranberry Coffee Cake

Crafting this fluffy and flavorful cranberry coffee cake requires a selection of high-quality, readily available ingredients. Using fresh, room-temperature components will ensure the best texture and flavor for your final masterpiece. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:

Ingredient Notes & Tips for Best Results:

• Fresh Cranberries: These jewel-toned berries are essential for both their vibrant appearance and the signature tart bursts of flavor they provide. While they’re typically in season and widely available from September through December, they can be harder to find during other months. If fresh cranberries are not accessible, feel free to use frozen cranberries – just remember not to thaw them before tossing them with flour! This prevents them from releasing too much moisture into the batter and sinking.
• Lifeway Organic Plain Lowfat Kefir: This fermented dairy product is a game-changer for achieving an incredibly tender, soft crumb. Its inherent slight tang beautifully complements the tart cranberries, adding depth to the flavor profile. Beyond its taste benefits, kefir also contributes to the cake’s moistness and offers probiotic advantages, making it a healthful addition to your bake.
• Sour Cream: Working in tandem with the kefir, sour cream is a crucial component for keeping the coffee cake exceptionally moist and giving it a rich, luxurious texture. Opt for full-fat sour cream for the best results, as it contributes significantly to the cake’s decadent mouthfeel. Ensure it’s at room temperature for optimal mixing and a smooth batter.
• Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter gives you full control over the salt content in your recipe, allowing for precise flavor balance. For both the cake batter and the streusel, make sure your butter is at room temperature (softened for the cake, melted for the streusel) for easy incorporation and a smooth, even texture throughout.
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundational ingredient for our cake’s structure. For precise measurements and consistent results, especially when baking, I highly recommend weighing your flour with a kitchen scale. Over-measuring flour is a common cause of dry cakes, so accuracy here is key for that perfect moist crumb.
• Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar provides the primary sweetness and contributes to the cake’s delicate structure. Light brown sugar, used in the streusel, adds a richer, molasses-like flavor and additional moisture, creating that ideal crumbly, sweet topping that makes coffee cake so irresistible.
• Eggs: Act as a binder, provide structure, and add richness to the cake. It’s important that your eggs are at room temperature to emulsify properly with the butter and sugar, leading to a smoother, more uniform batter.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract is a must-have in almost any sweet bake. It enhances all the other flavors, adding a classic warmth and depth to both the cake and any optional glaze you might choose to add.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work in harmony with the acidic dairy (kefir and sour cream) to give the cake its beautiful rise, light texture, and airy crumb. Always ensure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh for maximum effectiveness.
• Salt: A small but mighty ingredient, salt is crucial for balancing the sweetness and enhancing the full spectrum of flavors in the cake. Don’t skip it, as it prevents the cake from tasting bland.

For a comprehensive list of exact quantities and precise measurements, please refer to the detailed recipe card located at the bottom of this page.

Exciting Substitutions & Creative Variations

While this cranberry coffee cake recipe is perfect as written, don’t hesitate to experiment with these delicious substitutions and variations to tailor it to your taste preferences or available ingredients. Baking should always be an adventure!

• Cranberry Orange Delight: For a classic holiday flavor pairing that truly sings, add 1-2 tablespoons of finely grated orange zest to the cake batter along with the wet ingredients. The bright, citrusy notes of orange are a magical complement to the tartness of cranberries, transforming this into an even more festive cranberry orange coffee cake.
• Sweet Glaze or Frosting: Elevate your coffee cake with an extra layer of sweetness and visual appeal! You can make a simple powdered sugar glaze by whisking powdered sugar with a splash of milk or orange juice (similar to the one on my soft almond sugar cookies). Alternatively, a creamy cream cheese frosting, perhaps inspired by the decadent topping from my red velvet donuts, would add a luscious, tangy sweetness that beautifully complements the cranberries.
• Kefir Alternatives: If Lifeway kefir isn’t available in your local grocery store, don’t worry! You can successfully substitute it with an equal amount of