This is an easy and delicious recipe to get your holiday baking started. Last year at the end of the holiday season I had some eggnog and some cranberries leftover so this recipe for Streusel Topped Cranberry Eggnog Cake Bars was created.
The base is a box of yellow cake mix with additional ingredients including eggnog. It is topped with fresh cranberries, a streusel topping and baked.
To add even more goodness, a glaze is drizzled over it at the end.
This recipe is excellent to serve for large groups or for taking to a covered dish as it makes 40 bars.
HOW TO MAKE STREUSEL TOPPED CRANBERRY EGGNOG CAKE BARS:
INGREDIENTS:
(Full list of ingredients and instructions in printable recipe card.)
fresh cranberries
box of yellow cake mix
box of instant vanilla pudding
eggs
vegetable oil
Eggnog
butter
brown sugar
flour
cinnamon
pecans
confectioner sugar
milk
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 15×10 inch baking pan, or jelly roll pan, with no stick baking spray.
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Place cranberries in a small food chopper/processor and pulse until coarsely chopped; set aside. Drain on paper towels.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, and eggnog. Beat together on low speed of an electric mixer until ingredients are combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle the cranberries evenly over the cake batter.
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In a medium size bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nuts until combined, using fingers, a fork or a pastry cutter. Chill this for 10 minutes before using. Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over the cake batter and cranberries.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 10 minutes.
-
Place the confectioner sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of the milk and whisk together. Add more milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time, to obtain desired consistency to drizzle. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.
This recipe was shared on Weekend Potluck
@https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/
Rustic Cranberry Pecan Cobbler Roll is another holiday dessert using fresh cranberries.
Some other recipes I have created for cake bars are:
LIME CREAM CHEESE CAKE BARS
RASPBERRY LEMON CREAM CHEESE CAKE BARS
RASPBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE BARS
Why You Will Love Streusel Topped Cranberry Eggnog Cake Bars
- These bars have the flavors of the holidays (eggnog and cranberries) and are delicious. They are moist and full of cinnamon flavor.
- They are easy to make, using a boxed cake mix as the base.
- The recipe makes a very large pan of cake bars, so perfect to serve a crowd.
- The bars are an elegant looking dessert, another reason they are perfect for the holidays.
- Finally, they are easy to transport to an event.
Helpful Tips
- When making the streusel topping, do not use a mixer. Combine the ingredients with a fork, a pastry cutter, or your fingers.
- Chill the topping for 10 minutes before using it. This will help the butter to stay firm and the crumbs to maintain their shape when baked.
- Sprinkle the topping over the cake with your fingers to get it dispersed evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cake bars ahead of time?
YES. They can be made a day ahead, but store in an airtight container or wrap the pan well with a plastic wrap and refrigerate. At room temperature the cranberries will start to get a little soggy.
These bars are best served within 1-2 days, but will keep for 3 days.
Do the cranberries have a tart, bitter taste?
NO. They blend with all of the flavors in the streusel, the glaze and the cake and are delicious.
STREUSEL TOPPED CRANBERRY EGGNOG CAKE BARS
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 15.25oz box yellow cake mix
- 1 3.4oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups eggnog
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 11/2 cups brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans coarsely chopped
- 1 cup confectioner sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 15x10 inch baking pan, or jelly roll pan, with no stick baking spray.
- Place cranberries in a small food chopper/processor and pulse until coarsely chopped; drain on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, and eggnog. Beat together on low speed of an electric mixer until ingredients are combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle the cranberries evenly over the cake batter.
- In a medium size bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nuts until combined, using fingers, a fork or a pastry cutter. Chill for 10 minutes before using. Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over the cake batter and cranberries.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 10 minutes.
- Place the confectioner sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of the milk and whisk together. Add more milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time, to obtain desired consistency to drizzle. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.
- Allow to cool completely, then cut into rows of 10 x 4 or desired size. Makes 40 bars
Notes
- When making the streusel topping, do not use a mixer. Combine the ingredients with a fork, a pastry cutter, or your fingers.
- Chill the topping for 10 minutes before using it. This will help the butter to stay firm and the crumbs to maintain their shape when baked.
- Sprinkle the topping over the cake with your fingers to get it dispersed evenly.
- These bars will need to be refrigerated as the cranberries may become a little soggy.
I am pretty sure there is a Teachers Breakfast just before the Christmas break and this would be perfect! Thank you!
Looks like something everybody would enjoy with coffee – and how nice that it makes several dozen bars at once!
Thank you.
This looks delicious, Pamela! Great for a fall dessert =)
Thank you for the kind comment. I am so ready for fall baking.