Extra Can of Cranberry Sauce? Make This Post-Thanksgiving Snack Cake

Unlike a can of pumpkin purée, which I’m happy to eat in the form of muffins or a loaf cake any time between August and January, canned cranberry sauce has a very narrow window of opportunity for use. Thanksgiving is obviously its big day to shine, and I’m willing to grant it a grace period of a few days in advance, but for me the whole rest of the year is basically a cranberry sauce–free zone. If I get to Black Friday with an extra can in my pantry left over from the festivities, in all likelihood it’ll sit there, untouched, for 11 long months.

Unless I do something about it. And that something—because it’s Black Friday, what else is there to do besides shop online and eat cake?—is bake.

This is a simple recipe for a snacking cake, the kind of easy unfrosted treat that works just as well for breakfast as it does an afternoon pick-me-up. It doesn’t require special equipment or any finicky techniques but still looks festive when you pull it from the oven. All told, you can go from measuring flour to slicing yourself a corner piece in just about an hour’s time.

In the process, you’ll dirty two mixing bowls and two small pots; one for melting and browning butter and the other for cooking your can of sauce into a smooth, shiny jam. You’ll spike the latter with a bit of orange and lemon juice to offset the sweetness and add some depth, which makes for a nicely tart topping that doesn’t feel like the same stuff you spooned over turkey the day before.

The cake batter gets orange too, in the form of zest rubbed into the sugar. This step helps ensure that the zest is incorporated evenly throughout the cake and doesn’t clump in one spot. A little cardamom adds a subtle spice, and Greek yogurt keeps it tender, even a few days after baking.

One thing to note: This batter is thick. We’re talking the kind of stiff, dollop-able mixture you might recognize from making the topping of a fruit cobbler. When you can’t pour it to transfer from mixing bowl to baking dish—spreading it into an even layer will also take a little work—do not despair. This is exactly what we’re looking for. Spoon your cranberry in spots across the top, then use a knife to swirl the batter and sauce together. Again, because the batter is so thick, you won’t be able to make the delicate feathering you might have seen on The Great British Baking Show, but don’t sweat it: Even if the top of your cake looks like mostly cran with a few skinny streaks of batter throughout, it will become a gorgeously swirled top in the oven as it bakes—rising like a champ and pushing between the fruit to create artful swoops. Aside from scoring an Instant Pot on the cheap from some Black Friday sale, cutting yourself a fat slice will be the sweetest part of your day.

Cranberry-Orange Snacking Cake

Originally Appeared on Epicurious