low-carb cranberry orange Bundt cake {gluten-free + dairy-free}

For the prettiest cake on your holiday table, look no further than this low-carb cranberry orange Bundt cake. It's a refined-sugar free version of a classic cranberry orange cake, infused with that marvelous combination of flavors.

I'm a firm believer that low-carb and keto-friendly foods don't have to be basic. They can be lovely, elevated recipes enjoyed by all! And all of that is true with this cranberry orange Bundt cake. It's dairy-free, low-carb, and a gluten-free Bundt cake that everyone will LOVE. Plus, look at that stunning cranberry color!

I'll be the first to admit that Bundt cakes can be tricky. I've had too many incidents with the cake sticking to the pan and breaking. In fact, I almost didn't develop this keto cranberry cake as a Bundt cake recipe due to the fact that I like simple, stress-free processes for the recipes I share here, especially when it comes to cakes.

But it's the holidays! And if there's one thing we've learned this year, it is that it's always worth going ALL OUT for a special occasion. 🙂

The truth is, this keto Bundt cake isn't difficult at all, and I've included some easy tricks to help you bake a Bundt that is BEAUTIFUL.

how to make a low-carb cranberry Bundt cake

This cranberry orange Bundt cake is soooo good. Fresh cranberries are folded into the batter and add nice little bursts of sweet and tart. A little bit of orange juice and orange zest infuse the cake with a light and fresh orange flavor. And olive oil gives the almond flour cake a moist and tender texture.

the ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this delicious keto and gluten-free Bundt cake.

For the cranberry cake:

• almond flour (I like to use blanched, superfine almond flour)
• coconut flour
• granulated monk fruit sweetener
• baking powder (preferably gluten-free, aluminum-free)
• baking soda
• salt
• ground flaxseed meal
• extra virgin olive oil
• orange zest
• freshly-squeezed orange juice
• lemon juice
• large eggs (pasture-raised when possible)
• unsweetened almond milk
• vanilla extract
• fresh cranberries
• coconut oil (or butter if not dairy-free) + extra almond flour for preparing the Bundt pan

For the cranberry glaze:

• fresh cranberries
• water
• fresh orange juice
• powdered monk fruit sweetener (do not substitute granulated)
• pinch of salt
• melted coconut oil

the process

This low-carb cranberry orange Bundt cake recipe is simple to follow. The batter takes minutes to mix together, but don't forget to carefully prepare the pan. The trickiest part is removing the cake from the pan after baking, and a generous amount of butter or oil in the pan with a dusting of almond flour will help ensure your Bundt cake comes out in one piece. Do this, even with a nonstick Bundt pan (which I recommend using).

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1. Make the cranberry cake batter. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, eggs, almond milk and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir until it's well combined. Fold in the fresh cranberries.
2. Bake the cranberry Bundt cake. Prepare the Bundt cake pan (I use a 10-inch Bundt pan which is standard size) by spreading the solid coconut oil (or room temp butter if you're not dairy-free) generously across the inside of the pan. Make sure you spread it into every groove and crevice. Dust about 2 tablespoons of almond flour on top of the oil/butter layer. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it out as needed to make sure it's even all around. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350°F.
3. Cool the cake. When the cranberry orange Bundt cake is done baking, allow it to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan (see steps below) and let the cake cool completely.
4. Make the cranberry glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, cook the cranberries with 2 tablespoons of water and the orange juice until they've broken down and released their juices (about 10 minutes). Press the mixture through a sieve, catching the thick cranberry liquid in a bowl below (and scrape it off the bottom of the sieve too). Whisk in the powdered monk fruit sweetener, pinch of salt, melted coconut oil, and 2-3 tablespoons of water to thin the glaze.
5. Decorate the cranberry orange Bundt cake. When the cake has cooled, pour (or spoon) the glaze on top of the cranberry Bundt cake. Arrange fresh cranberries on top (whole and sliced), cinnamon sticks or fresh sprigs of rosemary or thyme (optional).

How to remove the Bundt cake from the pan

Almond flour Bundt cakes are slightly more difficult to remove from a Bundt pan due to their weight and larger crumb. Inverting the cake too soon could lead to it breaking, while waiting too long might results in it getting stuck.

Here's the full process I use to easily remove the cranberry Bundt cake:

1. Wait about 20 minutes after taking the cake out of the oven. You want it to be warm but not too hot otherwise the cake will be prone to breaking.
2. Place a small cooling rack (it should be easy to manage) or plate over the top of the pan. In one swift motion, holding them together, flip it over.
3. If the cake hasn't immediately fallen out of the pan and onto the plate, give the pan/plate a few solid taps on the counter to help loosen the cake from the pan.

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A quick note about that glaze. The bright cranberry color will darken after the glaze sits on the cake for a few hours. I recommend waiting to make the glaze and decorate the cake until the last minute, right before serving.

This low-carb cranberry orange Bundt cake is so lovely and makes the perfect keto-friendly holiday dessert (and next-day breakfast, too)! Enjoy!

you might also love...

• These keto peanut butter blossoms for a yummy, low-carb and gf spin on a classic holiday cookie.
• Cranberry curd bars will forever be one of my favorite holiday treats! So rich and packed with sweet and tart cranberry flavor.
• Blood orange almond cake with cashew buttercream. So good and another festive one for the holidays.