Cake like brownies are the dessert I reach for when I want something better than a box mix on the Thanksgiving table. This one starts with a simple homemade batter and a handful of dried cranberries stirred in for a little sweetness and a festive bite of color. It takes about as long to put together as a box mix would, but the flavor and texture are nothing like it. If you’re looking for something truly homemade to add to your holiday dessert spread, this is the one.
When my kids were young, they loved chocolate and wanted to help make a dessert for Thanksgiving. I didn’t want to hand them a box mix, so I taught them how to make brownies completely from scratch instead, and since it was for Thanksgiving dinner, we stirred in dried cranberries for a sweet, festive taste that felt right for the occasion. That one decision turned into a recipe our family asks for every single year.
Main Ingredients Needed For Cake Like Brownies
Here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. For the full list of ingredients and exact measurements, jump to the recipe card.
- All-purpose flour: This is your base and gives the batter its structure. White or whole wheat both work fine here, so use whichever you keep on hand.
- Dark cocoa powder: I use Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder because it gives every bite a deeper, richer chocolate flavor than regular cocoa. I usually find it at my local grocery store, but you can also order it online if yours doesn’t carry it.
- Eggs: Let these come to room temperature before you start mixing. Cold eggs won’t blend as smoothly into the butter and sugar.
- Butter: Real butter only here, and let it soften at room temperature before you use it. It makes a real difference in how the batter comes together.
- White and brown sugar: The combination of both is what gives these brownies their sweetness and that slightly chewy edge.
- Vanilla: Skip the imitation kind. Real vanilla gives a much more robust flavor, and you’ll notice the difference.
- Dried cranberries: Make sure they’re real dried cranberries, not fresh. Fresh cranberries will make your brownies soggy and tart. Also steer clear of the imitation raisin-style dried cranberries you sometimes find in the baking aisle. The real dried ones give you that sweet, festive bite without throwing off the texture.
How To Make Cake Like Brownies
These come together in one bowl for the wet ingredients and one for the dry, so cleanup is easy too.
Tip: If you want a chewier, less cake-like brownie, you can leave out the baking powder and reduce the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes. The ratio of butter to flour is really what controls the texture here, so stick close to what the recipe calls for if you want that classic cake-like result.
Variations
Once you’ve made this recipe a time or two, it’s easy to make it your own.
- Stir in half a cup of white chocolate chips for a sweeter bite, or half a cup of mint chocolate chips if you want a little something different for the holidays.
- If you’re a nut lover, fold a cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or pistachios right into the batter, or sprinkle them on top of the batter in the pan just before baking, and if that cranberry-pistachio combination sounds good to you, these pistachio cranberry cookies use the same pairing.
- Sprinkling the nuts on top gives you a nutty crust with a chewy brownie layer underneath, which is my favorite way to do it when I’m serving a crowd, right alongside something like this pineapple sunshine cake for a table with a little variety.
Baking Essentials
Questions When Making Cake Like Brownies
Cake brownies have a lighter, more cake-like crumb, while fudgy brownies are dense and gooey in the middle. It comes down to the ratio of butter to flour and how much air gets beaten into the batter before baking. I’ve made both styles over the years, and the cake-like version is the one my kids grew up helping me make for Thanksgiving.
Yes, dried fruit like these dried cranberries stirs in easily and holds up well through baking. In my experience, it’s best folded in by hand at the very end rather than in the mixer, and I always stick with dried fruit rather than fresh, since fresh fruit adds too much moisture to the batter.
Cake Like Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup dark cocoa, Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs, large, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar, white, granulated
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, real butter only, soften or slightly melted butter (1 and 1/2 sticks)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla, real not imitation
- 1 cup cranberries, real dried, not fresh, not imitation raisin-style
Instructions
Prep the Pan and Dry Ingredients
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well blended.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup dark cocoa, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix the Batter
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla together until light and fluffy.4 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Turn the mixer to low, add the flour mixture, and mix just until a smooth batter forms with no dry streaks.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the dried cranberries by hand with a wooden spoon.1 cup cranberries
Bake
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 45 minutes.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. It's ready when the toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.
Gina’s Notes and Tips
- Storage: Cool completely, then cut into 3-inch squares. Store in a container with a tight, sealed lid to prevent drying out, tucking in two pieces of plain white sandwich bread. Keeps soft for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: Cool the brownies completely before wrapping. Freeze as a whole uncut slab or as individually wrapped pieces, using plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, or an airtight freezer container. They keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Substitutions: Flour: white or whole wheat both work. Cranberries: real dried cranberries only, never fresh (makes brownies soggy and tart) and never imitation raisin-style dried fruit.
- Variations: Stir in 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or 1/2 cup mint chocolate chips. Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or pistachios, or sprinkle them on top of the batter before baking for a nutty crust.
Tried this recipe?
Please consider Leaving a Review!Hospitality with Cake Like Brownies
We didn’t want a box mix on our Thanksgiving dessert table, so we started making cake like brownies from scratch instead, plain and simple. That one decision is a small example of what it looks like to put a little extra care into feeding the people you love. This year, try building a Harvest Dinner around your table, roasted vegetables, something warm and hearty for the main course, and these brownies waiting at the end, or check out more easy Thanksgiving desserts if you want to round out the table. That’s really what hospitality comes down to, being present with your people instead of being buried in prep work. Y’all don’t need a fancy dessert to make Thanksgiving feel special. You just need one that somebody actually made with them in mind.
Can you freeze these when cooled? The best way to freeze them?
Let brownies cool completely before freezing. Wrap the whole slab or individual pieces in plastic wrap, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp for 30 mins, you can then microwave for a few seconds for a fudgy warm texture! Wrapping individually makes for an easy late night treat.
I was going to pass by your recipe as it calls for cranberries, since they are out of season. After reading through it all, there’s a note about using dried cranberries – not fresh. Those are called craisins. Maybe change up your recipe to list the right ingredient, to avoid the confusion and people skipping it. I’d change the label on your photo to read craisin too.
This is pretty ridiculous wouldn’t you say? Kind of not picky? Most people are aware that dried cranberries are “craisins” and if they don’t they will know as soon as they go to their local market. If you don’t want to make them simply don’t.
I do not like cranberries. Any suggestions to a replacement?
Marvina, You can absolutely skip the cranberries! These brownies are super versatile, so you have a few fun options. Try chopped dried cherries for a similar sweet-tart bite, or dried blueberries if you want a milder flavor. If you’d rather stick with pure chocolate goodness, toss in a handful of dark chocolate chips or mini white chocolate chips instead. You’ll still get that perfect mix of fudgy texture and rich chocolate flavor without the cranberries.