• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Thyme of Season
  • RECIPES
  • ARTICLES
  • ABOUT
  • FOOD HOLIDAYS
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ARTICLES
  • ABOUT
  • FOOD HOLIDAYS
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ARTICLES
    • ABOUT
    • FOOD HOLIDAYS
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • soups with pumpkin
      12 Delicious Soups with Pumpkin to Make This Fall
    • pumpkin soup with fresh basil
      Easy Pumpkin Soup with Fresh Basil
    • simple seasoned rice side dish
      12 Simple Seasoned Rice Side Dishes
    • delicious and nutritious rice bowl recipes - salmon edamame rice bowl recipe
      16 Delicious and Nutritious Rice Bowl Recipes to Try
    • September is National Rice Month
      September is National Rice Month - Celebrate 30 Days of Rice
    • Recipes for Jambalaya - pot of jambalaya with rice and seasonings
      16 Best Recipes for Jambalaya
    • smores in the oven
      5 Easy Smores in the Oven
    • bowtie pasta with chicken
      10 Best Bow Tie Pasta Recipes with Chicken
    • Cookies with Chocolate Chips Recipe
      25 Amazing Homemade Cookies with Chocolate Chips Recipe
    • tequila sour recipe
      Refreshing Tequila Sour Cocktail with 4 Ingredients
    • stuffings for chicken breasts recipes
      16 Divine Stuffings for Chicken Breasts Recipes
    • pasta recipes for vegans
      20 Simple Ways to Make Pasta for Vegans

    Cranberry Sheet Cake

    by

    Made this delicious cranberry mandarin snack cake last night and it goes perfectly with coffee this morning. Loaded with fresh cranberries, flavored with mandarin juice and zest, topped with creamy mascarpone cheese and sweet cream frosting.

    cranberry snack cake
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    cranberry snack cake

    Cranberry Mandarin Snack Cake

    What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words “snack cake”? I think of small individual cakes or a sheet cake. A simple cake with a simple layer of frosting with absolutely no decorations. Nothing fancy, no layers, no lavish decoration and custom shapes or designs. However, just because it is simple, it does not mean it can’t be divine. This cranberry mandarin snack cake is both simple and divine!

    I bought my first fresh bag of cranberries of the season and I always have mandarins around. This time of year cranberry and orange flavor combinations are so popular in seasonal baking. Here is my version of a quick and easy cranberry mandarin sheet cake with a smooth, creamy marscapone cheese frosting.

    The cake itself is moist and perfectly balanced with orange flavor and spiced with ginger powder and cardamom. Every bite has a burst of tart cranberry which is complimented by the sweet and creamy frosting. This cake is the perfect little snacking cake for this time of season.

    Now, let’s get to the recipe.

    You will need a 13”x9” sheet cake pan. High powered mixer.

    Note: You can use other sizes but the cake may take longer or less time to bake. Also, the thickness will vary. If you use a bigger pan, the cake will be thinner and if you use a smaller pan, it will be thicker.

    INGREDIENTS:

    For the Cake…

    • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups fresh cranberries
    • ⅔ cups whole milk
    • ½ cup white sugar
    • ½ cup light brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup fresh mandarin juice – about two mandarins
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
    • 2 eggs room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon mandarin zest – about two mandarins
    • 3 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons orange extract
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
    • 1 teaspoon cardamom
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    For the Frosting…

    • 8 ounces marscapone cheese
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • ¾ cup powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

    DIRECTIONS:

    For the Cake…

    • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the pan and set aside.
    • Place all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk together completely.
    • In a separate mixing bowl, mix all wet ingredients.
    • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold until combined. Do not over mix.
    • Gently fold in the cranberries.
    • Transfer batter into baking pan and bake for 20-24 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Start checking at 20 minutes, since ovens vary. Do not overbake.
    • Let cool completely before frosting.

    For the Frosting…

    • Place heavy cream, marscapone cheese and vanilla extract into a bowl and mix with electric mixer. Or, use high powered stand mixer.
    • Slowly add powdered sugar and cream of tartar.
    • Frost the cooled cake, dust with powdered sugar and mandarin zest, if desired.

    Cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. If refrigerated, remove from refrigerator and let sit out for 15-20 minutes before serving. Allowing the cake to come to room temperature will make softer.

    Try these other recipes...

    Spiced Pear Coffee Cake

    Apple Almond Cake

    Pumpkin Cupcakes

    Cranberry Mandarin Sheet Cake

    Snacking cake loaded with fresh cranberries and flavored with mandarin juice and zest. Topped with sweet marscapone cheese frosting.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 250 kcal
    Equipment
    • sheet cake pan, electric hand mixer or high powered stand mixer
    Ingredients
      

    Cranberry Mandarin Cake

    • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups fresh cranberries
    • ⅔ cups whole milk
    • ½ cup white sugar
    • ½ cup light brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup fresh mandarin juice – about two mandarins
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
    • 2 eggs room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon mandarin zest – about two mandarins
    • 3 teaspoons baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons orange extract
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
    • 1 teaspoon cardamom
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    Marscapone Cheese Frosting

    • 8 ounces marscapone cheese
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • ¾ cup powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
    Instructions
     

    Cranberry Mandarin Cake

    • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the pan and set aside.
    • Place all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk together completely.
    • In a separate mixing bowl, mix all wet ingredients.
    • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold until combined. Do not over mix.
    • Gently fold in the cranberries.
    • Transfer batter into baking pan and bake for 20-24 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Start checking at 20 minutes, since ovens vary. Do not overbake.
    • Let cool completely before frosting.

    Marscapone Cheese Frosting

    • Place heavy cream, marscapone cheese and vanilla extract into a bowl and mix with electric mixer. Or, use high powered stand mixer. Whip until soft peaks have formed.
    • Slowly add powdered sugar and cream of tartar. Whip until combined. Do not overwhip.
    • Frost the cooled cake, dust with powdered sugar and mandarin zest, if desired.
    Keyword almond cake, cranberries, cranberry cake, holiday dessert, orange, snack cake

    More All Recipes

    • recipes for bok choy - image of roasted bok choy on a plate
      25 Delicious Recipes for Bok Choy
    • recipes for monkey bread
      16 Insanely Good Recipes for Monkey Bread
    • recipes for fava beans
      12 Creative Recipes for Fava Beans
    • recipes for no bake cookies - chocolate cookies
      16 Easy Recipes for No Bake Cookies

    Primary Sidebar

    Search Recipes

    Let's Stay in Touch

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok

    As Seen In...

    thyme of season featured in media

    Our Recent Recipes

    12 Delicious Soups with Pumpkin to Make This Fall

    soups with pumpkin

    Easy Pumpkin Soup with Fresh Basil

    pumpkin soup with fresh basil

    12 Simple Seasoned Rice Side Dishes

    simple seasoned rice side dish

    16 Delicious and Nutritious Rice Bowl Recipes to Try

    delicious and nutritious rice bowl recipes - salmon edamame rice bowl recipe

    16 Best Recipes for Jambalaya

    Recipes for Jambalaya - pot of jambalaya with rice and seasonings

    5 Easy Smores in the Oven

    smores in the oven

    Footer

    BACK TO TOP

    More

    • Web Stories
    • Portfolio
    • FAQ

    Contact

    • Send us a Message

    As Seen In

    Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Image Use

    Copyright © 2023 THYME of SEASON