Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Fresh cranberries are one of my favorite ingredients to bake with during the holidays, and this upside-down cranberry cake shows exactly why. When the tart berries bubble away in a buttery caramel sauce, they transform into a ruby-red topping that looks every bit as festive as it tastes. And the best part? Underneath that glossy layer is a soft, moist vanilla cake that is incredibly simple to make. Flip it over, slice it up, and you’ve got a stunning dessert with zero decorating required, the ideal treat for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Course Cake and cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberries

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 298

Author Simone

Equipment

Round tin of 20 cm Make sure it is a solid tin!

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

Metric - Us customary

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.

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