Holiday baking does not have to be complicated to be pretty. We all want those Southern Living white cakes but who are we kidding? Not as busy bloggers.

My trick to a beautiful cake? A beautiful pan called a bundt pan. Many people dread bundt pans because of the mess they can make of a cake. But the investment of a few minutes to grease and flour the pan is a lot less than schlepping out cake tools to decorate and messing with wire cutters.

I made up this recipe last winter when I had a leftover bag of cranberries in my fridge about to go bad. Cranberries are a dream to work with. They yield beautiful color and are not fussy like meringues or buttercream frosting. They’re bouncy little fellas that pack a punch. And as a cranberry bog loving Massachusetts native turned Arkansawyer, cranberries give me a bite of home during the holidays.

(Did you know that cranberries are ripe when they bounce to the correct height? Oh, the things I could tell you about cranberries. But this is a post about cake, right?)

The key to a sucessfully executed bundt cake is grease. No amount of spray is going to save you from a really big mess with an intricate pan. Only Crisco will do. And skimping is not advised. Cover every nook and cranny using a dollop of it on a paper napkin. If you’re skilled or have tiny fingers, try not to leave big gobs. But if you do, it’s not big deal.

Next, sprinkle in some flour and turn the pan, tapping the outside as you go, until it is well floured. You shouldn’t be able to see any of the metal shining through! If you do, that’s where it will stick, without a doubt. The flour adheres to the grease and prevents any sticking, even with the stickiest of batters.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, extracts, salt and milk and beat to combine. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Once well combined, add cranberries. If you’re using a stand mixer, you’ll hear some of them pop so don’t worry! Scoop batter into well greased and floured bundt pan, making sure not to scrape the sides and remove the flour. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 for around 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Baking time may vary due to bundt pan shape.