Kid-friendly Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey + Cranberry Rosemary Refresher Recipe - Sticky Fingers Cooking
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Family Meal Plan: Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey + Cranberry Orange Rosemary Refresher

Family Meal Plan: Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey + Cranberry Rosemary Refresher

Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey + Cranberry Orange Rosemary Refresher

by Dylan Sabuco
Photo by ambrozinio/Shutterstock.com
prep time
15 minutes
cook time
15 minutes
makes
4-6 servings

Fun Food Story

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Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey

Though spice cakes date back to ancient times, they became especially popular in Colonial America. Early settlers used bold spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to enhance cakes made of flour, butter, and molasses. In the US today, spice cakes are often associated with the cooler months. In many households, they’re a holiday staple, with their warm, spiced flavors bringing a cozy, festive touch to holiday tables. But, if you ask me, there’s no wrong time for a spice cake, and this version has it all! From the bright, zesty orange notes, the sweet-tart cranberries, and the subtle moisture from grated zucchini, apple, or carrot. 

However you make it, the result is a warmly spiced standout treat for any time of year!

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Chef Erin, Food-Geek-in-Chief
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Shopping List

  • FRESH
  • 1 orange
  • 1 small grated zucchini, apple, or carrot
  • 1 fresh rosemary sprig
  • DAIRY AND EGGS
  • 3 C orange juice
  • 2 eggs **(see allergy subs below)**
  • PANTRY
  • 2 C dried cranberries
  • 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 C vegetable oil **
  • 1 3/4 C brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract **(see allergy subs below)**
  • HAVE ON HAND
  • Paper cupcake liners
  • 2 C ice

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

  • bake :

    to cook food with dry heat, as in an oven.

  • blend :

    to stir together two or more ingredients until just combined; blending is a gentler process than mixing.

  • measure :

    to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

  • mix :

    to thoroughly combine two or more ingredients until uniform in texture.

  • pour :

    to cause liquid, granules, or powder to stream from one container into another.

  • soak :

    to immerse a hard food for a certain amount of time in a liquid to soften it.

  • stir :

    to mix together two or more ingredients with a spoon or spatula, usually in a circle pattern, or figure eight, or in whatever direction you like!

Equipment Checklist

  • Oven
  • Muffin pan
  • Paper cupcake liners
  • Cutting board
  • Kid-safe knife
  • Grater
  • Mixing bowls
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Dry measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Fork or toothpick to test cake
  • Blender (or pitcher + immersion blender)
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Ingredients

Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey

  • 1 orange
  • 1 C dried cranberries
  • 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour)**
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 small grated zucchini, apple, or carrot
  • 2 eggs **(for EGG ALLERGY sub 2 T ground flaxseeds + 1/2 C water, whisked)**
  • 1 C vegetable oil **
  • 1 3/4 C brown sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor—check label)**

Cranberry Orange Rosemary Refresher

  • 3 C orange juice
  • 1 C dried cranberries
  • 1 fresh rosemary sprig
  • 1 C ice
  • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor—check label)**

Food Allergen Substitutions

Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey

  • Gluten/Wheat: Substitute gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour. Use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor.
  • Soy: Substitute canola oil or other nut-free oil for vegetable oil.
  • Egg: For 2 eggs, substitute 2 T ground flaxseeds + 1/2 C water, whisked.

Cranberry Orange Rosemary Refresher

  • Gluten/Wheat: Use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor.

Instructions

Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey

1.
intro

Spice cake has been around for hundreds of years. The original recipe was created in ancient times when the Egyptian and Greek empires began grinding spices and grains. This led to experimenting with these new ingredients, and eventually, the spice cake was born. This modern-era spice cake is filled with many pie spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Then, to kick things up a notch, this recipe also includes one of my favorite flavor combinations: cranberry and orange.

2.
preheat

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

3.
zest + juice + soak

Start by washing 1 orange, then zesting and juicing it into a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Measure 1 cup dried cranberries and add them to the orange juice. Stir a few times and then set to the side. This will soften the cranberries for later in the recipe.

4.
measure + mix

Measure 2 1/2 cup flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice into a mixing bowl. Stir the dry ingredients with a whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated.

5.
grate + crack

Next, grate 1 small zucchini, apple, or carrot into a large mixing bowl. Then, crack 2 eggs into that same bowl.

6.
measure + mix

Measure 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 3/4 cups brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the bowl with the egg and grated zucchini, apple, or carrot. Then, pour in the cranberries and orange juice that were soaking in step 3. Mix until all the wet ingredients are fully combined.

7.
mix + bake

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients. Mix with a whisk until fully combined. Prepare a muffin pan with liners. Then, pour 1/3 cup of the batter into each of the lined wells of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until a fork inserted can be removed from the cupcake cleanly.

8.
cool + serve

Remove the cupcakes from the oven. Allow them to cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Bon appétit! Enjoy your tasty Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey with some Cranberry Orange Refresher to wash it down.

Cranberry Orange Rosemary Refresher

1.
measure + soak

Start by plucking the leaves off 1 rosemary sprig and place them into a pitcher. Then, measure 3 cups orange juice and 1 cup dried cranberries. Pour them both into a blender (or pitcher for use with an immersion blender). Stir a few times and then set to the side for at least 10 minutes. This will soften the cranberries for later in the recipe.

2.
measure + blend

In the blender, measure and add 2 cups ice and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. You are going for a slushie consistency. Pour the drink into cups. Cheers! Enjoy this tasty fall drink with Autumn’s Cranberry Orangey Spice Cakey!

Surprise Ingredient: Cranberry!

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Photo by Olivier Le Queinec/Shutterstock.com (Cranberry Bog)

Hi! I'm Cranberry!

“I love being me because I'm very popular during Fall holiday feasts. Yes, I can be sour, but sugar sweetens me right up, and cranberry sauce is a tart and tasty culinary partner when added to turkey (and leftover turkey sandwiches!). I also like hanging out with my orange friends to make delicious scones or muffins."

History

  • The cranberry is indigenous to North America. The Narragansett people, an Algonquian tribe who called the berries "sasemineash," may have introduced them to Massachusetts Bay colonists in the early 1600s. 
  • The Native Americans created what you could call the first energy bar, "Pemmican," made from a mixture of pounded cranberry, ground deer meat, and fat tallow. They also used cranberries to make a dye.
  • Several 17th-century books from New England reference cranberry recipes. A couple of the books describe cranberry sauce, and a cook's guide mentions cranberry juice. 
  • Many years ago, American ships carried cranberries to prevent scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, for the same reason English sailors added limes to their diets.
  • Eighty percent of cranberries grown worldwide are harvested today in the United States and Canada. 
  • Cranberries are primarily grown in five states: Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington. 
  • About 80 million pounds, or 20 percent of the cranberries harvested per year, are gobbled up during Thanksgiving week! 
  • There are approximately 4,000 cranberries in one gallon of cranberry juice! 
  • The word "cranberry" is from the mid-17th century (by a North American Puritan), from the German "kranbeere" (crane-berry).

Anatomy

  • The cranberry plant is an evergreen shrub or trailing vine from the Ericaceae (heath or heather) family that includes the blueberry, huckleberry, rhododendron, azaleas, and heathers. The berries are part of the genus Vaccinium. 
  • Contrary to common belief, cranberries do not grow in water. Instead, they are grown on constructed beds surrounded by dykes, evenly layered with sand, and close to a water source. The cranberry farmers flood these "bogs" in Fall so that the cranberries can float to the surface when they are ready to harvest and in Winter to protect the plants from the cold temperature. 
  • Cranberries are small, light, airy, round, and red. Each cranberry has four air pockets in the middle that allow it to float.
  • Cranberries are sometimes called "bounceberries" because the tiny air pockets make them bounce and float in the bogs when they are ripe! 

How to Pick, Buy, & Eat

  • When selecting fresh cranberries from the grocery store, where they usually come in a bag, look for firm, plump berries that are red to dark red. Avoid ones that look shriveled, feel soft, or have blemishes. 
  • You can buy fresh cranberries from September through January, and you can freeze fresh cranberries until ready to use. Frozen, canned, and dried cranberries are available year-round at the grocery store.
  • Store cranberries in their sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for one to two months, check the berries' condition now and then, and remove any that appear to be decaying. They can last about one year in an airtight container if you freeze them.
  • Cranberries are both sour and bitter. They taste astringent! This is due to tannins, the same compound found in red wines. So fresh cranberries are usually sweetened and juiced, cooked, or dried before eating.
  • Make an easy cranberry sauce by heating a bag of fresh or frozen cranberries with 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1 tablespoon of water, and some orange zest. Simmer the sauce over low heat until the cranberries pop for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Fresh cranberry salsa is delicious. Mince cranberries in a food processor and combine with lime juice, fresh ginger, minced jalapeno, cilantro, sugar, and chopped green onions. Serve with chips!
  • You can add cranberries to smoothies and bake them into puddings, cakes, and pies. You can also make jam, relish, and sherbet with them. 
  • Cranberries are especially delicious paired with pork, almond, orange, peach, cinnamon, ginger, chocolate, apple, mango, pint, and pear.  

Nutrition

  • Cranberries are a moderate source of vitamin C. Vitamin C protects our blood vessels and heart and helps us maintain healthy immunity during cold and flu season. In addition, the body uses vitamin C to absorb iron, another essential nutrient.
  • They also have a moderate amount of manganese. It is a mineral and essential trace element involved with the metabolism of carbohydrates and glucose. Manganese also helps bone formation and works with vitamin K in blood clotting.   
  • Cranberries contain A-type proanthocyanidins (plant compounds) that help keep bacteria from binding to cell walls. These compounds are why cranberry juice is associated with preventing urinary tract infections.

 

History of Spice Cake!

Photo by Elena Veselova/Shutterstock.com
  • Spice cake may have originated in Ancient Greece, Egypt, or Rome. These ancient people made cakes with wheat or barley grain, honey, seeds, and spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and coriander. 
  • During the Middle Ages in Europe, dried or preserved fruit was added, and in the 17th century, a coating of white icing was sometimes added. 
  • The modern spice cake is a butter or layer cake that often uses brown sugar or molasses as a sweetener, resulting in a darker brown cake. Maple syrup can also be used, and maple spice cake is considered an American variation. Spices include cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Many recipes have applesauce. Cream cheese frosting is a popular topping.
  • Variations of spice cake include applesauce cake, carrot cake, gingerbread cake, hummingbird cake (a banana and pineapple spice cake from Jamaica), and pumpkin spice cake.

Let's Learn About Ancient Greece!

Photo by Olga Chiorescu/Shutterstock.com (the Acropolis of Athens)
  • Ancient Greece was a civilization in the northeastern Mediterranean region that existed from about 1100 BCE to 600 CE. Democracy began there in Athens in the 5th century BCE.
  • Several poleis made up the area of Ancient Greece. From the word "polis" or city-state and "mētēr" (mother), we get our word "metropolis" (mother city), a very large city or urban area. Poleis were ruled by kings, oligarchies, and tyrants.
  • Some well-known city-states included Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Rhodes, Sparta, Syracuse, and Thebes. 
  • Alexandria was one of two major capitals of Hellenistic or Ancient Greek culture. The other was Antioch. Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, was part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt. Antioch, founded by Macedonian general Seleucus I Nicator, was part of the Seleucid Empire, consisting of Anatolia (modern Turkey), Persia, the Levant (modern Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria), and Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), and parts of Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Turkmenistan.
  • Classical Greek culture, especially art and philosophy, influenced the Roman Empire and the rest of Europe. Ancient Greek art included paintings, pottery, and architecture. The writings of philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are still being studied today.
  • An example of Ancient Greek architecture that we can still visit today is the Acropolis of Athens, a complex of buildings that includes the Parthenon, a temple to the goddess Athena.
  • The first Olympics were dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the plains of Olympia. Ancient Olympic sports included running, chariot racing, mule-cart racing, boxing, discus throw, long jump, wrestling, and pankration, a wild cross between wrestling and boxing with no rules except biting and eye-gouging!
  • A few of the well-known figures from this period were Alexander the Great, who ruled over the whole empire from 336 to 323 BCE; Hippocrates, a physician referred to as the Father of Medicine; Herodotus, called the Father of History, who wrote his "Histories" about the Greco-Persian wars; Socrates, considered the founder of Western Philosophy; Plato, an author and philosopher who founded the first academy of higher learning in the West; Aristotle, a student of Plato's who also founded a school of philosophy; and Thales, a mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, and one of the Seven Sages of Greece. 
  • Staples of Ancient Greek cuisine included cereals, like barley and wheat, figs, grapes, and olives. Grecians made flatbread and used herbs and spices in their cooking.

What Was It Like to Be a Kid in Ancient Greece?

  • During the Hellenistic period (323-30 BCE), some city-states had public schools for boys, starting at age seven. Wealthy families would be able to employ a teacher to teach their children. Boys would have learned how to read, write, memorize and recite poems, sing, and play an instrument. They may have learned their father's trade, or they would have trained as athletes and for military service. Becoming a good citizen was the priority. Girls would have learned to read, write, and do some simple arithmetic so they could manage a household.
  • Girls may have played with dolls and, as they got older, practiced cooking, embroidery, and weaving. Boys may have played with balls and hoops, played tug-of-war, and later, practiced running, wrestling, and throwing the javelin or discus.
  • For a treat, kids would have enjoyed eating sesame seed candy or a thin honey sesame seed cake, similar to a snack bar. They also would have had fresh or dried fruit and nuts for a snack.

The Yolk's On You

What’s the difference between a pirate and a cranberry farmer? 

A pirate buries his treasure, but a cranberry farmer treasures his berries.

The Yolk's On You

What do you like best about autumn?

I like pumpkin spice a latte!

THYME for a Laugh

Why did Rosemary get kicked out of the spice rack? 

She took too much Thyme!

THYME for a Laugh

Why do oranges wear suntan lotion? 

Because they peel.

THYME for a Laugh

It took days to come up with this rosemary pun.

It was a long thyme cumin!

The Yolk's On You

Why did the cranberries turn red? 

Because they saw the turkey dressing!

The Yolk's On You

"Knock, knock!"

"Who's there?"

"Orange!"

"Orange who?" 

"Orange you going to answer the door?"

The Yolk's On You

Why did the orange stop at the top of the hill?

Because it ran out of juice!

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