🎃🍒 Pumpkin Cranberry Swirl Cake

If you love cozy fall flavors with a bright, fruity twist, this Pumpkin Cranberry Swirl Cake is going to be your new favorite bake. It’s soft, moist, warmly spiced, and incredibly simple to make — no mixer needed. The rich pumpkin cake batter is swirled with cranberry sauce, creating gorgeous ruby ribbons that add flavor, color, and a touch of tart sweetness.

It’s the perfect dessert for autumn gatherings, Friendsgiving, or anytime you want something cozy and seasonal without the fuss. And best of all… it uses both pumpkin purée and leftover cranberry sauce — a match made in holiday heaven!

🍰 Ingredients

(Makes one 9×13-inch cake)

Pumpkin Cake Batter

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk or buttermilk

Cranberry Swirl

• ¾–1 cup cranberry sauce (use my very good homemade recipe)

Optional Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla or orange extract

• 9×13 baking pan
• Measuring cups / spoons
• Large bowl
• Small bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Wire cooling rack

🧡 Instructions

1. Preheat & Prepare

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Grease a 9×13 baking pan or line it with parchment paper.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

3. Mix the Wet Ingredients

4. In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin purée, oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth.

4. Combine

5. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix with spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.

5. Assemble the Swirl

6. Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan.
7. Spoon dollops of cranberry sauce over the top.
8. Use a butter knife to gently swirl it into the batter — don’t mix too much; the streaks should stay distinct.

6. Bake

9. Bake for 30–38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Glaze (Optional)

10. Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla or orange extract.
11. Drizzle over cooled cake.

⭐ Tips & Variations

• Try orange zest in the batter or glaze — pumpkin + cranberry + orange = magic.
• Add white chocolate chips for creamy sweetness.
• Top with pecans for a festive crunch.
• Use a round springform pan if you want a more elegant presentation.
• Enjoy!

If you like cranberries or are looking for more ideas to use your leftover cranberry sauce here. For Pumpkin recipes click here.

Please check out our other recipes:

• Apple Nutella Sheet Cake
• Harvest Apple Bundt Cake
• Chive Dip
• Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
• Cranberry Orange Loaf

Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Cranberry Orange Loaf

Harvest Apple Bundt Cake

Apple Nutella Sheet Cake

Chive Dip

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