Leftover Cranberry Sauce Cake Recipe

1. For the Topping: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 2 tablespoons water into 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce to loosen consistency: the sauce should gently plop when dropped from a spoon. Add more water as needed. Pulse almonds, sugar, butter, light brown sugar, flour, and orange zest in food processor; transfer to bowl. Wipe out food processor.

2. For the Cake: Spray Bundt pan with baking spray.

3. Rub orange zest into sugar with fingertips or palms until sugar is orange and no zest strands remain. In large bowl, beat butter and orange sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with sour cream. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add vanilla and beat mixture on medium speed just until combined, about 20 seconds.

5. Sprinkle half of topping in prepared pan. Scrape half of batter over topping. Drop 2-tablespoon-sized dollops of cranberry sauce over batter and delicately smooth over batter. Scrape remaining batter over cake and spread out into an even layer. Sprinkle with remaining topping, pressing it gently down into the cake.

6. Bake until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan set on rack for 15 minutes, then, turn out directly onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve.

Special equipment

food processor, electric mixer, rubber spatula, Bundt pan, cooling rack