A delicious low carb, grain-free coffee cake bursting with orange zest and fresh cranberries. It will be the hit of any holiday party.
It’s clear I am going to have a bit of an issue living here in Oregon, and that is the lack of cranberries. The crazy part is that Oregon actually grows cranberries – quite a lot them, in fact. It is the 4th largest producer of cranberries in the US, behind Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. But you wouldn’t know it in the stores. I started looking out for them in late September, early October, expecting them to be prominently displayed early in the season as they most certainly would be back East. But nothing. I thought maybe I was mistaken and it was a little too early, so I waited. And waited. And waited. Surely they would available by mid-October, right? Nope. Couldn’t find fresh berries at Whole Foods, New Seasons, Safeway, or Trader Joe’s. My husband even checked Costco for me, but they didn’t have them in stock either. It was only at the tail end of October that they appeared, and then they were off in a corner in the produce section, and could have easily been overlooked.
I am stymied. Do people in Portland not like cranberries? Are they ashamed of them? Why hide these glorious ruby red berries out of plain view? Where are the huge displays of cranberry bags piled up near the door, catching the customer’s eye and making him or her dream of Thanksgiving dinner? In Massachusetts, you’d practically be tripping over them at every store the minute the leaves began to change. The situation is so bad here that I even had to purchase frozen cranberries at Whole Foods so I could make this recipe for you. At an exorbitant cost, of course.
Now that they have finally (FINALLY) appeared, I have stocked up. I currently have several bags that I have now frozen in case of a similar future cranberry emergency. And I have plans to get several more for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We must not be without cranberries. Cranberry fields (bogs?) forever!
Please see my low carb Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake on A Sweet Life Diabetes Magazine. It’s the perfect addition to any holiday brunch. You won’t regret it, even if you have to search high and low for cranberries, as I did.
Amy DeMoss says
I had almost the exact experience here in Indiana; I don’t get it either. Although we do not grow cranberries, usually they are much more prominently displayed in produce sections starting in mid-October at the latest. Thanks for this delicious sounding and gorgeous looking recipe!
Ainsley Daschofsky says
That is madness! I just snatched a frozen bag up, but I live in a desert (Lubbock Tx) and would never suspect us to have freshful amounts of the delicious berry. I just used a few in chocolate donuts and they lend a gorgeous flavor. I spread some garam marsala on them at the end with coconut oil and they were even more delicious, so I’m waiting to post them until I master that part. I’m sure you could make an incredible version with your amazing cooking skills. Definitely making this cake soon =)
Carolyn says
They sound delicious!
kari says
I cant access this recipe with the link provided. Is there another way to get to it?
Carolyn says
Are you still having trouble with it? I think their site is working fine now. https://asweetlife.org/cranberry-orange-coffee-cake/
Christine Christoffersen says
Thanks for the great looking recipe! I would love to make this with all almond flour. I have allergy to coconut. What would the measurement be for all almond flour? Thank you so much?
Christine
Carolyn says
Do 3x more the amount of almond flour.
Christine Christoffersen says
So would that be an additonal 1 1/2 cups almond flour( instead of coconut) Or am I tripling the 2 1/2 cups almond flour to 7 1/2 cups?? Thank you!
Carolyn says
An additional 1 1/2 cups almond flour. 4 cups total.
Christine Christoffersen says
Thank you!!
Sarah G says
Oh, I may just have to make this for Thanksgiving. Yummmm. I pretty much HAVE to make a cranberry bread for my kids because of the book we read every year called Cranberry Thanksgiving, but I’ll just call it bread and they should be happy.
We haven’t seen fresh cranberries yet in stores and we are on the east coast! I still have cranberries from last year in the freezer. Do you think they are still good? They are in their original bags, not freezer bags.
Carolyn says
Yup they should be fine. I do that too.
Tiffany says
I’m from California and we have the same problem. We don’t get cranberries until November and they are going to disappear right after Thanksgiving so stock up!
Carolyn says
I don’t get the lack of cranberry love around here!
Melanie says
Yeah, I’ve always hated that about Oregon but I never knew other states got them so early. I was just always annoyed that Oregon was such a big producer of them but they were still difficult to be found here. It doesn’t make sense. Like you, I stock up every year and freeze several gallon bags once they’re in stock. Even then I often run out quickly because one of my son’s loves them so much he’ll sneak handfuls and eat them plain and frozen. I really can’t blame him though.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
This is total gorgeousness! And speaking of Oregon, I’m actually headed out the door in 2 minutes to make a weekend trip to Portland. Wish I could take some of this cake with me for the road!
Carolyn says
Aw, you should have let me know, we could meet up!
The Food Hunter says
I want to pour myself a cup of joe and slice myself a piece of this cake
Lora @cakeduchess says
I remember you mentioning that on FB and I couldn’t believe how many I was finding at every market here. I am happy that they are now easy to find there so you can make gorgeous cakes like this one!!
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says
Seriously, cranberries are so underrated! I always stock up and freeze them when they are on sale. And this coffee cake looks like the perfect way to feature some – so pretty.
Janice says
Ok…so I am not completely an IPad dummie, but how do I print off your recipes?
Carolyn says
From A Sweet Life, you will need to cut and paste, I am afraid. They don’t have a print button. But I will talk to them about adding one…
Marsha says
I baked this yesterday for my brother’s birthday as I didn’t feel like baking a layer cake. The coffee cake is absolutely delicious, it is surprisingly light, we all loved it, the cranberry layer is wonderful in this cake. Thank you Carolyn!
Carolyn says
Wonderful to hear!
Diana says
I made this tonight and can’t rave enough about it! I used 1/4 tsp LorAnn orange oil instead of the extract, and the zest of a large orange, and the cake has a wonderful orange scent and flavor. The cranberry filling was the perfect complement to the orange cake. The cake “batter” was more like cookie dough when I made per instructions, so I added a little bit of extra liquid to loosen it up and it worked beautifully. Mine was done in about 40 minutes so start checking early. The cake doesn’t really need a topping, it’s just amazing as is. Thanks, Carolyn!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Diana! Yes, the batter is quite thick. Shouldn’t be quite as thick as yours was, so there may be a difference in coconut flour or something that’s causing that.
Diana says
I figured that. When I added about 1/3 cup more liquid, it was spreadable (I dolloped it in small mounds around the pan and spread it with the back of a spoon). Coconut flour, altitude, humidity, etc. could have all been a part. Anyway, it came out beautifully and our brunch guests raved–and ate seconds. Thank you for this recipe!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Allison says
I made this today and cant say enough about how freaking good my house smelled while cooking this. I used Loran Orange extracts and love the flavor combo or the orange and cranberry! This was such an easy cake to put together which is a plus for me. BRAVO again Carolyn. Keep them coming!!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Allison!
Isabelle @ Crumb says
Fresh cranberries are pretty hard to find here too… they usually appear a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and again before Christmas, but even then they tend to sell out really quick. I’m so glad to hear I’m not the only one who stashes a whole bunch of them in the freezer to make it through the dry spells. 🙂
As for this cake, it looks amazing. Cranberry and orange is one of my favourite flavour combinations, especially when it’s paired with almonds. I could totally go for a slice of that right about now!
Nutmeg Nanny says
I LOVE cranberries! When I see them I totally stock up too. My husband thinks I’m crazy but they are so delicious I”m not about to run out. Love the look of this cake. Orange and cranberries go together so well.
Carolyn says
My husband just found them at Costco and bought me two huge bags. No more cranberry shortage here!!!
Nikki @ Nik Snacks says
Hahaha, Cranberry Fields forever! 🙂 Hooray for finding some bags and that you were able to stock up! I need more grain-free things in my life and this would be a perfect start.
Paula - bell'alimento says
I love coffee cake and this one looks delicious.
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
Cranberry and orange together are perfect together! I adore this cake. Let me know if you want me to send you some cranberries from NJ 😉 I wish I could drop them off in person!!
Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says
Oh my goodness — I am so used to cranberries being EVERYWHERE as soon as fall sets in, that I’d be totally stymied too. Glad you finally found some!
Basia says
This was a huge hit with low carbers, and normal eaters alike. The cranberries and the orange extract cover up any potential xylitol/sweetener flavors. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Carrie says
Hi, Carolyn –
I made this over the weekend and it is SO GOOD!!! I used xylitol (I don’t have any dogs in the house to worry about), but other than that, followed the recipe exactly. My husband was eating huge chunks of it until I got on his case about eating my breakfast over the next several days! When you have someone who does not deliberately eat low carb scarfing up a recipe, you know it’s good!
— Carrie
Carrie says
I feel like a stalker person who keeps writing posts! But I also forgot to mention that I brought some of the coffee cake into work and very jealously shared tiny bits of it with my coworkers. They couldn’t believe how good it was, and since I used a lot of Bob’s Red Mill ingredients, I feel like I’m being a good and supportive employee! :0)
Carolyn says
That is wonderful to hear, Carrie. No worries about the multiple messages, it’s always nice to hear from you!
Carrie says
I forgot to add that I also made the cheddar sausage jalapeno stuffing recipe that you wrote for Jones Dairy Farm. OMG!! SO delicious! My kids were eating bowls of it – my daughter even took it into school for lunch today! I’m so excited, because now I know I can make a Thanksgiving stuffing that will be a huge hit and that I can also eat! Your recipes make this way of eating SO much easier (and tastier!). Thanks for all that you do for those of us watching carbs. :0)
Nadine says
Oh yum! Can’t wait to make this! However, my daughter and I are dairy intolerant-can we leave out the whey protein powder or could you sub a vegan type?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
You can do egg white protein powder. Or really any protein powder (but hemp is green and will colour your cake!).
Dianne says
I made this cake today and it is beautiful and delicious! My guys loved it although I did not tell them it was sugar free. Love your site and have found your recipes easy to follow. Here in Canada fresh cranberries are available from September on and since they are very healthy I like to use them often. Thanks for this. Dianne
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it, Dianne!
Susan says
Why do you need protein powder? Is it really necessary?
Carolyn says
Yup, it sure is. Gluten is a protein and it helps baked goods rise and hold their shape. When baking gluten free, a dry protein powder (either powdered egg whites or whey protein) help the rising and shape of the finished product.
Susan says
I made this tonight and it’s still warm, but I cut a small piece and it’s very yummy! I was a little worried I undercooked it, I had to cook until the top was almost burned for the cake tester to come out without batter. Tastes so good, though!
Carrie says
I had the same thing happen – the outside was beautifully done, but the inside was still a but doughy. Next time I’ll put some aluminum foil over the top when it gets brown to keep from overdoing it while the middle bakes.
Susan says
I figured out this morning what my problem was! I’ve been doing non-LC baking up the wazoo lately (for others) and everything I’ve been making calls for a cup of butter, so without thinking I softened two sticks of butter instead of one, and that’s what went into this! No wonder it’s so moist! Still yummy, so it won’t go to waste but I’ll definitely pay more attention next time. I may also try the aluminum foil idea too.
Carolyn says
Whoa! Haha, well at least you figured it out.
Sarah G says
Just made it. Does it need to be refrigerated or will overnight on the counter be ok?
Carolyn says
One or two days on the counter, tops.
Sarah G says
Got it. Thanks for answering!
Brenda says
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit – only lasted the day even thought I also had 3 pies and a cheesecake. My springform pan was in use so I baked the coffeecake in a 9 inch glass pie pan, liberally greased with coconut oil and it came out beautifully. I did have to cover with foil and cook longer, but worth it!
cimmaryn says
This is, without a doubt, the best LC recipe I have made so far! I have two ladies at work who are also LC’ing, and they agree! And, cranberries are my new favorite fruit! 🙂 So incredibly delicious, the tartness of the cranberries and the tender cake. Oh.my.gosh! Between this and the chocolate crack (and the gingerbread muffins), I am set for life. 🙂 Thanks for making low carb so much easier (and better) for the rest of us!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Anne o says
Have made this twice already. This recipe saved me on a Thanksgiving road trip- held up great and was a sensational treat, morning or night or in between. Simply delicious and so yummy for the season.
CJ says
The cranberry quality was compromised with the dry weather…many growers decided to sent them out for processing instead of fresh bagging… Market of Choice in your area receives cranberries fairly early in the season…Some of the organic growers also ship the cranberries out of state…I’ve been purchasing a Gluten Free, Cranberry-Orange Ricotta Cake from Trader Joe’s…I like it so much I decided I should try and find a recipe to make at home…Former Laurelhurst Girl 🙂
Kate says
I was so remiss this last year, not thanking all the lovely Low Carb bloggers for making my holidays wonderful. I made this for Thanksgiving morning, and never thanked you, Carolyn. It was fantastic. My whole family loved it, and literally fought over the last piece. The flavor was wonderful and crumb exquisite.
Thanks again, for creating a recipe that started our Thanksgiving off in a beautiful and flavorful way.
Chantelle says
Wow. Wow. Wow. The first low carb dessert I’ve ever baked that I truly believe NO ONE WOULD KNOW was low carb. A-MA-ZING! Thank you so so so much!! <3
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Jacqueline Little says
should this bake at 350F?? I have it the oven now for 70 minutes and it has not set, super wobbly. I am so sad, i hope it turns out eventually.
Carolyn says
No, it should bake at 325F. I am not sure why yours wouldn’t firm up. What brand of almond flour or coconut flour did you use?
Morgan says
I was wondering if I could use the oranges juice instead of the water and orange extract? I don’t know if it will be too orangy or not orangy enough!
Carolyn says
That will be fine.
Shannon says
I just bought 4 of your cookbooks and was wondering which brand you are currently using for your extracts(e.g orange extract, lemon extract, etc,) I know some brands taste more artificial than others and don’t want to risk ruining one of your fabulous recipes with a bad tasting extract. Thanks so much!
Carolyn says
I like OliveNation for some of the more unusual flavors (banana, apple, caramel). I like Simply Organic or Frontier for some of the basic flavours.
Kristal Urick says
I think blackberry lemon version will be lovely for Mother’s Day!
Joanna says
Hi from Ohio! New reader and new to the low carb lifestyle but unfortunately the link isn’t working for this recipe!? It looks amazing and would love to try it. Can you post a new link or recipe for us newbies? Thanks!!!
Carolyn says
It’s working for me! https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-cranberry-orange-coffee-cake/