Berry Almond Bundt Cake

Berry almond bundt cake is the cake to pull out when you want something special-looking with very little fuss. The crumb is built on a slightly unusual base, two cups of flour cut with three-quarters cup cornmeal, which gives the cake a faintly sandy texture and a deep golden color you wouldn’t get from flour alone.

Applesauce stands in for some of the fat, which keeps the cake remarkably moist for days, and the soy milk soured with lemon juice acts as a homemade buttermilk. That acid plus the baking soda and cream of tartar is what gives the cake its lift. Beat the eggs until frothy and fold the cranberries in last so they don’t bleed pink streaks through the batter.

Ground almonds add nutty richness and a little extra structure that helps the cake support the weight of the cranberries without sinking. Frozen cranberries work beautifully here, just add them straight from the freezer so they don’t thaw and weep into the batter.

Pro Tips

• Grease and flour the bundt pan thoroughly, getting into every crevice. A loose pan release is what saves the decorative pattern from tearing.
• Toss the cranberries in 1 tablespoon of the measured flour before folding in. The flour coat keeps them suspended in the batter rather than sinking.
• Cool the cake exactly 10 minutes in the pan before inverting. Less and it falls apart. More and the steam gets trapped and the cake sticks.
• A simple lemon or almond glaze pairs beautifully. Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice or almond extract until pourable.

Variations

• Swap cranberries for fresh or frozen blueberries or chopped sour cherries.
• Use cornmeal-free, all wheat flour for a softer, less rustic crumb if preferred.
• Top with sliced almonds before baking for extra crunch.