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2 Comments An upside-down cake always reminds me a little of a tarte tatin, the classic French upside-down apple dessert. They’re not the same thing at all, but I think it’s that magical moment when you flip the pan and reveal the beautiful caramelized topping that makes the connection in my head. This cranberry upside-down cake is just as delicious!
In this version, juicy fresh cranberries take center stage. Don’t use dried ones, they won’t give you the same fresh, tart flavor that makes this cake so special.
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
This upside down cranberry cake is the perfect balance of tart and sweet, a beautiful, jewel-toned holiday dessert that’s surprisingly easy to bake. The cranberries become soft and glossy in the oven, while the moist vanilla sponge underneath stays light and buttery. Flip it over, and you’ve got a show-stopping cake with zero decorating required!
Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh Cranberries – I think this recipe only works with fresh cranberries, as dried ones are much sweeter and have a completely different texture. Just like with my favorite festive cranberry cake, this works best with fresh.
- pecan – I love pecans, but you can absolutely change these for walnuts, pistachio or another nut of your choosing
- cranberry jelly – or use cranberry compote or cranberry sauce for this step.
- all-purpose flour
- unsalted butter – make sure it is at room temperature.
How To Make The Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
- Prep the pan
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Melt 90 g of butter in a small pan, stir in 6 tablespoons of sugar, and let the mixture come to a gentle boil. Pour into the base of your cake tin. Scatter the pecans and spread the cranberries over the caramel, gently pressing them down. - Make the batter
Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt.
In a mixer, cream the remaining 120 g butter until smooth. Add remaining sugar and beat until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. - Combine
Reduce speed to low. Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then the milk, then the final dry ingredients. Spoon batter over the cranberries and level the top. - Bake & flip
Bake 40–45 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Let rest briefly, then loosen the edges with a knife. Place a heat-proof plate over the tin and carefully flip the cake out while warm. - Optional glaze
Warm the cranberry jelly until fluid. Brush over the surface for extra shine.
Tips for Success
- Use a solid pan, caramel leaks through loose-bottom tins!
- If your cranberries are very tart, sprinkle them with 1-2 tbsp extra sugar before adding the batter.
- Don’t wait too long before flipping, the caramel will set and stick.
- Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
FAQ Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Yes! No need to thaw, just use straight from frozen and add a couple extra minutes of baking time.
Absolutely. Try walnuts, pistachios, or skip nuts entirely for a nut-free cake.
Yes. Bake earlier in the day and reheat briefly in the oven before serving.
The cake will keep outside of the fridge for 3-4 days. It can also easily be frozen.
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 135 gr all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp kardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 14 tsp salt
- 210 grams unsalted butter at room temperature (divided)
- 165 grams sugar
- 50 grams pecan nuts
- 200 grams fresh cranberries
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 ml whole milk
- 80 grams cranberry jelly optional
Equipment
- Round tin of 20 cm Make sure it is a solid tin!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius. (350˚ F)
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and salt in a bowl. Melt 90 gr of butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the sugar and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour this over the bottom of a 20 cm round cake pan. Scatter the nuts and top with the cranberries. Press down gently using your fingertips.
- Using a mixer cream the remaining 120 gr of butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and continue until the mixture is pale and creamy. Beat for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Pour in the vanilla.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Mix in the milk and then the remaining dry ingredients. Spoon the batter over the cranberries and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. You might feel like you have very little batter but remember this is a flat cake and it will also rise somewhat.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and run a blunt knife between the sides of the sides of the pan and the cake. Turn the cake out onto a serving platter.
- Warm the jelly in a small saucepan over a low heat. Gently brush the glaze over the hot cake.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Mr. Pecan in love with Ms. Cranberry, Perfect holidays!
Hahaha. Absolutely!