Get festive for breakfast, snack or dessert with this Cranberry Pistachio Pound Cake. This easy, one-bowl cake is slightly sweet with a crispy outside and moist interior, and it's studded with juicy fresh cranberries and chewy pistachios for texture and a delicious taste!
Pound cake is one of the oldest American recipes - and it likely existed in Europe before that! It was traditionally made by combining one pound each of flour, butter, sugar and eggs. The result was a dense, sweet cake.
Over the years, the recipe for pound cake has shifted and modernized to incorporate leaveners and minimize the need for so much sugar, butter and eggs. But the end result has remained pretty similar: a dense, sweet cake that's perfect for a mid-day snack, dessert or even for a sweet breakfast treat!
This version is a Cranberry Pistachio Pound Cake that uses a balance of flour, eggs, butter and sugar that I prefer for being a bit lighter in texture and in sweetness. And the addition of fresh, tart cranberries with meaty, chewy pistachios for a delicious, textural shift and flavorful bite.
The colors make it perfect for the holidays! Mix one up for Christmas morning or to gift to friends and co-workers all season long.
How to Make Cranberry Pistachio Pound Cake
First, beat the butter and sugar together, then add in the eggs. Mix in the dry ingredients and some vanilla for flavor.
Finally, stir in fresh cranberries and shelled pistachios. Make sure to toss the cranberries in a bit of flour first to keep them from sinking in the batter while baking.
Then bake it up for a little over an hour until it's golden brown and fragrant! Let it cool, then slice and serve.
How long does this cake last?
After it fully cools, wrap any leftover pound cake tightly in plastic wrap, then store in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Cranberry Pistachio Pound Cake
Equipment
- Loaf Pan
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups flour, plus 1 teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted pistachios, shelled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare loaf pan by spraying liberally with coconut oil or baking spray. In a small bowl, combine the cranberries with the 1 teaspoon of flour and toss to coat. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add in the eggs, beating between each one. Then add in the remaining 2 cups flour, salt and vanilla. Beat until combined, then carefully stir in floured cranberries and pistachios. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan and lightly tap pan on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes - 1 hour 30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the bread pan for about 30 minutes. Use a butter knife to release the bread from the sides of the pan, then flip upside down to release the bread and let cool fully on a baking rack.
Hi, is a 9x5 loaf pan ok for this?
Yes, that works perfectly!