Out with pumpkin and in with cranberry.  Now we’re not saying you have to ditch pumpkin altogether, after all, Thanksgiving has plenty of uses for pumpkin themed treats, but we’re thinking ahead to all the cranberry goodness that comes with the winter season.

Cranberry desserts with sparkling cranberry wine, of course.

We were at it again, using bubbly to make a dessert and then creating a coordinating bubbly cocktail for those who’d prefer that type of dessert.  

Cranberry Time

I am sure you have seen a lot of our winter themed bubbly cocktails and mocktails are topped off with frozen cranberries because it’s a fun, festive way to keep the drinks chilled.  And I often buy fresh cranberries and put them right into the freezer for just this purpose.  

And since cranberries are mostly water and have small pockets where air can seep into allowing them to float, it makes the perfect ice cube garnish.

And fun fact, two of the five states known for growing cranberries are Oregon and Washington, the Pacific Northwest, which is where Bubbly Side of Life is located.

Ok, enough with the fun cranberry facts and on to the good stuff.  This is our first attempt at a bubbly cranberry cake and I’m proud to say we nailed it….first try.

Cranberry Dessert

Let me just tell you that this bubbly cranberry cake was a huge hit!  And the biggest debate was, do we save this for dessert, can we eat it at breakfast or does it go on the brunch buffet?  And the good news is there is no wrong answer to that question.  It would be perfect for any of those things.  

Bubbly cranberry cake perfect for brunch, dessert or even breakfast!

Ingredients 

Bubbly Cranberry Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1T baking powder
  • 3 T unsalted butter, melted 
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup cranberry bubbly
  • 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Bubbly Sauce 

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup cranberry bubbly
  • 1 t Root 23 Vanilla Ginger Simple Syrup

Instructions

Bubbly Cranberry Cake 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray.  (We used mini-bundt pan)
  3. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
  4. In a mixing bowl, beat the melted butter and sugar until well blended. 
  5. Add the eggs, beat until combined. 
  6. Add 1/4 milk 1/4 bubbly and 1/4 the dry ingredients and beat to combine.  Continue adding until all milk, bubbly and dry ingredients are blended well together.   
  7. Using a spatula, fold in the cranberries. 
  8. Pour the cake batter to the prepared pan.  (Remember when you add bubbly to a recipe, they cakes typically rise a bit more than normal.)
  9. Bake the cake, uncovered, on the center rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Bake the mini-bundts for 28-30 minutes.
  10. Remove the cake from the oven, letting it cool slightly before removing flipping the bundt pan over to release the cakes.
  11. Let the cakes fully cool before pouring the sauce over.

Bubbly Sauce 

  1. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine all ingredients.  
  2. When the sauce begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low, simmering for 10 minutes, whisking constantly.  Make sure the sauce doesn’t boil over. 
  3. Remove the sauce from heat, let it sit for 2-4 minutes.  
  4. Drizzle sauce over the bundt cake as whole or over each individual slice as you serve.
Cranberry dessert complete with bubbly sauce.

Bubbly Cranberry Cocktail

You know how much we love our bubbly cocktails and mocktails.  And stay tuned to our Instagram this month and next as we will be releasing many new, fun bubbly drinks perfect for the holidays.  

And this very festive cranberry themed cocktail is super easy and delicious.  This features sparkling red wine, which yes, I know, can be very controversial, but trust me, it’s perfect in this drink.  We have tasted many sparkling red wines so you can narrow your focus on these knowing they’re definitely worth buying.  

This drink is perfect as individual drinks in coupe glasses or would be great as a pitcher drink so you don’t have to make it over and over again.  Either way, we know you will love it.

Cranberry cocktail with bubbly, of course. Perfect for any holiday gathering.

CranMerry Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz Cranberry Vodka
  • 1 oz Simple Syrup
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • Sparkling Red Wine
  • Frozen Cranberries
  • Sprig of Rosemary
  1. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine vodka, simple syrup and lemon juice.  
  2. Pour into your favorite champagne glass.
  3. Top with sparkling red wine.
  4. Garnish with frozen cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.

Want more?

Follow us on at Bubbly Side of Life on Pinterest to organize your favorite bubbly themed mocktails and cocktails.

On the blog you will find lots of holiday and winter themed treats.  Here are a few that you must try! 

This homemade cranberry cake recipe is easy to make and can be baked in a normal bundt cake or mini bundt cake form. This simple, but delicious recipe is the perfect holiday dessert, breakfast idea, and is also a great addition to your next brunch menu. The secret ingredient in this recipe is of course sparkling wine and it pairs perfectly with our cranberry cocktail recipe. Check out our blog for the full recipes and follow along here for all things bubbly!