Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake

Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake

This delicious, rich Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake uses canned cranberries and gluten free flour to make an easy decadent dessert.

This recipe is gluten free by using gluten free flour.

Watch A Video

Here is a video of 2 Cooks in the Kitchen making Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake:

https://youtu.be/o7XjTNOlJx8

Ingredients For Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake

  • 2/3 Cup Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 Cup Butter
  • 1 oz Baking Chocolate
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Cup Canned Whole Cranberry Sauce
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/4 Cup Gluten Free Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 Cup Whipping Cream
  • 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips
  • 1/4 cup Pureed Cranberries
Photo shows the ingredients for Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake
Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake Ingredients

8″ Round Cake Pan

We will need a prepared 8″ round cake pan so we will get that ready first. We’ll line the pan with foil and dust it with gluten free flour. This will help our cake come out of the pan later. If you want to you can use cocoa powder instead of flour. You just put the flour or powder in the pan and shake it around to coat the whole thing.

Photo shows the cake pan lined with foil and dusted with gluten free flour
Foil Lined and Dusted

Chocolate

To start our cake batter we will put the chocolate in a microwave safe mixing bowl. We are using two different types of chocolate; chocolate chips and baking chocolate. You can use whatever kind of chocolate chips you want here but since we are going for a deep fudge we will use dark chocolate chips. Semi-sweet would also work fine. The baking chocolate just needs to be 100% cacao with no sweeteners. We like to use Ghirardelli baking chocolate.

Photo shows chocolate chips and baking chocolate in a mixing bowl
Chocolate

Butter

We’ll add 1 cube of butter to the chocolate. We are going to be melting this so you can cut the butter into pieces to help it melt faster. We’ll put the bowl into the microwave and cook it for one minute and then see if it’s melted enough.

Photo shows the mixture is lumpy after 1 minute in the microwave
After 1 Minute

Stir

After one minute in the microwave we’ll stir the chocolate and see if it is all melted. We found it to still be a little lumpy so we’ll put it back in the microwave for 20 more seconds. Then we can easily whisk it until it is smooth.

Photo shows a smooth mixture being whisked
Whisk Well

Sugar

Next we’ll add our white sugar and stir that in.

Photo shows sugar being added
Add Sugar

Cranberries

Now it’s time to add our cranberries. We are using the whole berries canned sauce. You can use the jellied cranberries if you want but we like having the berry pieces in our chocolate cranberry fudge cake. We’ll use 1 cup of the cranberry sauce now and save the rest for the glaze.

Photo shows the cranberries added to the mixture
Add Cranberries

Eggs

Now we add our eggs and stir thoroughly to get them mixed in. You can break the eggs into a separate bowl and scramble them before adding but we don’t find it necessary. They mix in just fine when we crack them right into the mixing bowl.

Photo shows 2 eggs in the mixture
Add the Eggs

Vanilla Extract

Our last wet ingredient is vanilla extract. We only use real vanilla extract even though it is more expensive. We can only guess what is in the fake stuff but the vanilla plant near us years ago used runoff from the neighboring pulp mill.

Photo shows vanilla being added
Add vanilla

Gluten Free Flour

For our dry ingredients we will start with gluten free flour. We use Bob’s Red Mill One To One Flour, which we can get in bulk at our local co-op store. They also make a baking flour that is gluten free.

Photo shows the gluten free flour being added
Gluten Free Flour

Baking Powder

To get a little rise in our cake we will add a little baking powder. You need to check your baking powder from time to time to make sure it isn’t expired. You’ll get more rise from fresh baking powder. That is all of our cake batter ingredients so once we get this mixed well we are ready for the pan.

Photo shows baking powder being added
Add Baking Powder

Pour Into Pan

Now we can pour our cake batter into our prepared pan. Since we prepared this earlier it is all ready to go.

Pour the batter into the floured baking pan
Pour the Batter Into the Pan
Photo shows the pan ready to bake
Ready To Bake

Bake 40 Minutes At 325°

We’ll put our cake in a 325° oven on the middle rack and bake it for 40 minutes. At the end of that time we will give it the toothpick test to see if it has cooked enough. We just put a toothpick into the middle of the cake and if it comes out wet the cake is not cooked enough. In our oven 40 minutes was not enough. The toothpick came out wet so back in the oven it goes.

Photo shows the toothpick with wet batter on it
Wet Toothpick

Bake It Longer If Needed

We gave it another 6 minutes and tried the toothpick test again. The toothpick came out dry with a couple pieces of cake on it so our cake is cooked.

Photo shows the toothpick is dry
Dry Toothpick

Cooling Rack

We need to let our cake cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack. After that we will put it in the refrigerator for an hour to get it really cooled.

Photo shows the cake on a cooling rack
Cooling Rack

Loosen the Foil

When our cake is cool we’ll take it out of the pan. Loosen the foil and put a plate over top of the pan.

Photo shows a plate over the cake pan ready to flip
Flip the Pan Onto A Plate

Flip It Over

We’ll flip it over so the plate is resting on the counter and carefully peel off the foil. If it was floured well enough it should just come off. It might not look very pretty at this point but we are going to glaze it and it will look great.

Photo shows the foil being removed
Remove the Foil

Make the Glaze

We’ll put the whipping cream and chocolate chips in a small, microwave safe mixing bowl.

Photo shows the chocolate chips in the mixing bowl
Add Chocolate Chips

Microwave For 1 Minute

We’ll microwave this for one minute. You’ll want to keep an eye on this as the cream foams up in the microwave. Then we can whisk it until it is smooth.

Photo shows the melted chocolate being mixed with a small whisk
Whisk the Chocolate And Cream

Cranberries

We’ll put the rest of our can of cranberries in a blender and blend until very smooth. If you are using the jellied cranberries you can skip this step. We just want to make sure we don’t have chunks in our glaze. We want to end up with a nice smooth, shiny surface on our cake.

Photo shows the cranberry puree being added to the mixing bowl
Add Cranberry Pureé

Pour the Glaze On the Cake

We will pour the glaze on the center of the cake. You want to pour it all on at once right in the middle.

Photo shows the glaze being poured over the cake
Pour On the Glaze

Spread the Glaze

Using a silicone or rubber spatula spread the glaze over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides. You just keep working it until it is all even.

Photo shows the glaze being smoothed with a spatula
Spread the Glaze

Refrigerate One Hour

Now we put our chocolate cranberry fudge cake back in the refrigerator for one hour. We’ll find something pretty to decorate it with in the garden and our cake is ready to serve.

Photo shows the completed chocolate cranberry fudge cake decorated with edible flowers
Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake

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Photo shows the completed chocolate cranberry fudge cake decorated with edible flowers

Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake

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  • Author: 2 Cooks in the Kitchen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes + Cooling Time
  • Total Time: 3.5 Hours
  • Yield: One 8” cake 1x
  • Category: Desserts
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This delicious, rich Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake uses canned cranberries and gluten free flour to make an easy decadent dessert.


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cake

  • 2/3 cup Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 cup Butter
  • 1 oz Baking Chocolate
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 cup Whole Canned Cranberries (save the rest for the glaze)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/4 cup Gluten Free Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

For the Glaze

  • 1/4 cup Whipping Cream
  • 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
  • 1/4 cup Pureed Canned Cranberries

Instructions

  1. Prepare an 8″ round baking pan. Cover with foil and coat with gluten free flour or cocoa powder.
  2. Put the chocolate chips, baking chocolate and butter into a microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave on high for 60 seconds, stir and microwave for 20 more seconds.
  3. Add the sugar, cranberries, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combines.
  4. Add the flour and baking powder. Mix well.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
  6. Bake at 325° for 40 to 50 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake after 40 minutes. If it comes out with wet batter on it, return the cake to the oven for another 5 minutes. Repeat the toothpick test to test for doneness.
  7. Set the cake on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Then put it in the refrigerator for an hour.
  8. When the cake has cooled, loosen the foil from the pan edges, put a plate upside down over top of the pan and flip the whole thing over.  Carefully remove the foil from the top of the cake.
  9. Make the glaze. Put the chocolate chips and whipping cream in a small microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave for one minute and stir until smooth.
  10. Put the remaining cranberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the cranberry puree to the chocolate and cream mixture and mix well.
  11. Pour the glaze onto the middle of the cake. With a silicone or rubber spatula work the glaze around the top of the cake and let it run down the sides.
  12. Refrigerate the cake for another hour. Decorate with edible flowers and serve.

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