Cranberry Almond Cake

HAPPY 2014

A brand new year and what a bitterly cold one it has been for us here in Eastern Canada. We've shovelled more snow in a week than we did in the last two years. Frigid temperatures with windchill causing it to feel like - 30 to 40 degrees C. Brrrrrr......
I continue to bake despite the holiday season having ended and am using cranberries which are abundant right now. I can't explain my love for these tart little red pearls. I was thinking of making cranberry ketchup or a chutney over the holidays; that has yet to materialize, but this cake did and was so easy to make. I wish I could say this was my creation but the credit goes to www.budgetbytes.com 

I realize that it is the end of the week and my promised baklava recipe has not been posted yet. It's Ju's fault, she and Jason gave us this amazing new gadget called The Instant Pot. (please go to www.instantpot.com to see what this wonder pot can do). For those following us on this blog, my love for my pressure cooker is no secret, well I now have an electric pressure cooker and made a really flavourful chicken soup in half an hour. I am exploring different dishes that I can make in record time. So, while I am grateful for my new toy, it has distracted me (in the nicest way possible) from sitting in front of my computer.  Hmmm, so maybe that was the plan after all, cook really fast so I can actually post more recipes on our blog!  Seriously though - Thank you J & J : )

I baked this yesterday for my buddy's birthday and heard it tasted good so had to make one again today to taste, photograph and post. While I usually reduce sugar in all baking recipes, I followed the recipe and am glad I did because it balanced the tartness of the cranberries. Enjoy!

Skill Level: Easy 

Makes: 10 - 12

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/2 tsp orange extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of milk (I used 2%)
• 1 1/4 cup fresh cranberies (6 oz)
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

METHOD: 

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9" round cake tin 
2. Mix together flour and baking powder and set aside
3. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar on low speed, gradually increase speed until the butter and sugar are pale in colour 
4. Add eggs, vanilla and orange extracts. Start at low and then increase to high speed. Mix well for about a minute
5. Add half of the milk and half the amount of flour to the butter. Mix well until combined
6. Add in the rest of the milk and flour. Mix until you have a light and fluffy cake batter
7. Rinse and cut cranberries in half. I leave the small sized ones intact so they can pop in the oven
8. Fold in the cranberries and then press the almonds on top of the cake 
9. Bake for 35 minutes until the edges are a rich brown and a tooth pick inserted in the centre comes out clean
10. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing