My cranberry cupcakes are sweet, tart, and totally festive! I start with a light and fluffy homemade vanilla cupcake base and fold in fresh cranberries for pops of color and tang in every bite. Each cupcake is topped with creamy buttercream and sparkling sugared cranberries for an elegant finish that’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any winter gathering.
Homemade Cranberry Cupcakes with Sugared Cranberries
This cranberry cupcake recipe may look complicated, but it’s surprisingly simple to make. The moist vanilla cranberry cupcakes come together in one bowl–no mixer required. My 3-ingredient homemade buttercream is ridiculously easy to make, and the sugared cranberries are a cinch as well. I love that the topping only takes two ingredients–just sugar and cranberries–but adds a beautiful sparkle to every cupcake. These cupcakes with sugared cranberries are festive, flavorful, and make a stunning holiday dessert or homemade gift.
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Keep Your Cranberries from Sinking
A common issue I’ve run into in both cupcakes and muffins is the fruit sinking to the bottom. Through trial-and-error, I’ve learned that tossing the cranberries in a little bit of flour before folding them into the batter helps keep them suspended. The flour provides just enough resistance to hold the berries securely in place so every bite has a pop of tart cranberry flavor!
Cranberry Cupcakes Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Cupcake Tin
- Stand Mixer
- Piping Tip Set
Ingredients
For the Sugared Cranberries
- ½ cup water
- 1½ cups granulated sugar divided
- 2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen*
For the Cupcakes
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature**
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen***
For the Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (1 stick)
- 2¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Sugared Cranberries
- Add the water and ½ cup granulated sugar to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved.½ cup water, 1½ cups granulated sugar
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the cranberries. Toss to combine.2 cups cranberries
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries from the syrup and place them on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.
- Allow the cranberries to dry for 45 minutes.
- Then, sprinkle over the remaining cup of sugar and toss the cranberries until they are coated evenly. Allow them to set for an additional 45 minutes before using.
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla together.½ cup whole milk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the sugar and whisk to combine.1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the flour and baking powder and mix just until no large lumps of flour remain.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Add the fresh cranberries and fold them gently into the batter.1 cup cranberries
- Divide the cake batter between the cupcake tin wells, filling each one with about ¼ cup of batter.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
For the Buttercream
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the butter is smooth, about 30 seconds.½ cup unsalted butter
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar.2¼ cups powdered sugar
- Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add the vanilla extract.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with sugared cranberries and serve.
Notes
- Let the syrup cool slightly before adding the cranberries. If it’s too hot, the cranberries can burst instead of staying whole.
- Make sure cranberries are fully dry before rolling in sugar. If they’re damp, the sugar will clump instead of coating evenly.
- You will have more sugared cranberries than you need for the cupcakes, but you can always store them in the fridge and use them for garnish or cocktails as needed!
- Save the cranberry syrup. It makes a fantastic holiday cocktail mixer or drizzle for cakes!
- Use room-temperature ingredients for the cupcakes and frosting the best results.
- Measure the flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid dense, dry cupcakes.
- Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cupcakes dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- Toss the cranberries in a little bit of flour before folding them in. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes as they bake.
- Do not overfill the cupcake wells; otherwise, the cupcakes may overflow and/or deflate.
- If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it’s creamy enough to pipe.
- Chill the frosting for 10 minutes in the fridge to make it easier to pipe.
- I used a Wilton 6B tip to frost my cupcakes.
How to Make Cranberry Cupcakes Step-by-Step
Prep: Gather up everything you need to make these cranberry-studded cupcakes. Bring the milk, eggs, and butter to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before beginning so that they mix more evenly. You can do this while you make the sugared cranberries.
Dissolve the Sugar: Add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of granulated sugar to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the Cranberries: Remove the pan from the heat (let it cool slightly!) and add 2 cups of fresh cranberries. Toss to combine. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries from the syrup and place them on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Save that syrup–it’s great for cocktails! Allow the cranberries to dry for 45 minutes. Make sure the cranberries have fully dried before moving on to the next step so that the sugar doesn’t clump.
Sugar the Cranberries: Sprinkle over the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar and toss the cranberries until they are coated evenly. Allow them to set for an additional 45 minutes before using.
Mix the Batter: Preheat your to 350°F, line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper liners, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk ½ cup of room-temperature milk, ½ cup of vegetable oil, 2 large, room-temperature eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract together.
Fold in the Cranberries: Add 1 cup of granulated sugar and whisk to combine. Add 1½ cups of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder and mix just until no large lumps of flour remain. I recommend measuring your flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid making these cupcakes dense and dry. Add 1 cup of fresh cranberries and fold them gently into the batter. I like to toss my cranberries in 1-2 tablespoons of flour first to help prevent them from sinking in the cupcakes.
Portion the Cupcakes: Divide the cake batter between the cupcake tin wells, filling each one with about ¼ cup of batter. I like to use a cookie portion scoop or a ¼-cup measuring cup to ensure they’re all the same size.
Bake the Cupcakes: Bake your cranberry cupcakes in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
Beat the Frosting: Add ½ cup of room-temperature unsalted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the butter is smooth, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add 2¼ cups of powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Adjust the consistency as needed by adding milk or powdered sugar until it is pipeable. You can also chill the frosting for 10 minutes to help it firm up.
Frost the Cupcakes: Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice (I used a Wilton 6B) and frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Alternatively, you can fill a Ziplock bag with the frosting and cut the corner off to pipe. Garnish with the sugared cranberries and serve.
How to Store and Freeze
Store leftover cranberry cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy at room temperature.
You can also freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 1 month. I recommend tightly wrapping each cupcake in plastic wrap and placing them in a Ziplock bag. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before decorating with freshly made buttercream and sugared cranberries.
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