It’s a fun idea visually, in my mind, which is where it will likely stay. (How many cranberries does it take to fill a bathtub?) You too can fantasize about swimming in a sea of cranberries, especially if they are baked into an upside-down cake like this one. Cranberry jewels surrounded by a caramelized sauce cover the surface and bleed their tart sweet flavor into a dense, orange-zest speckled cake.
Why an Upside-Down Cranberry Cake?
Upside-down cakes are somewhat of an obsession around here. We love our pineapple version (the most requested cake at our family gatherings), and my father is known for trying every upside-down cake recipe he sees. He gave this cranberry cake his seal of approval, by coming back for more, even after I sent him home with half the cake. The cake will keep well at room temperature for a couple of days, but you can also refrigerate it for about a week. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap first, then in foil to avoid freezer burn. Cranberry upside-down cake will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. To thaw the cake simply leave out on your counter at room temperature overnight.
Size Matters: The Right Cake Pan Size
This recipe needs a 9-inch pan with a minimum of 2-inch sides. It’s important! Higher is better to hold all the batter. A 9 x 9-inch square pan also works. One reader used a spring form pan with an oven bag as a liner to avoid leakage. Worked like a charm! Another reader used a Dutch oven for this and it worked great. They were able to make the caramel, then add the berries and batter, and “whoosh into the oven.” This recipe can also be made in cupcake tins filled 2/3 full. Just be sure to decrease the cooking time, checking at 30 to 35 minutes.
Readers’ Suggestions to Adapt This Cake
“I baked it in two 6” pans and put the cranberry tops together in the middle to form a filling between the 2 layers. Then I did a “naked” frosting of the 2 layer cake with buttercream made with orange juice instead of milk. I decorated it with sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary and a tall red birthday candle." - Gwen"I didn’t have sour cream so I subbed it for homemade buttermilk (1/2 of milk + 1/2 tbs lime juice)" - Génesis"Added extra orange zest and squeezed the juice from the orange over top of the cranberries before putting the batter in." - AshleyUse plain or plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
5 Desserts for Cranberry Lovers
Chocolate Cranberry Zucchini Muffins Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie Cranberry Orange Nut Bread Cranberry Sorbet Pear and Cranberry Rustic Tart
Some readers have needed to cook this cake longer than the baking times indicated, so definitely test before turning out!
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons (58g) unsalted butter
12 ounces (340g) fresh or frozen cranberries
Cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Scant pinch ground cloves
8 tablespoons (117g) unsalted butter, at room temperature (plus more for buttering the pan)
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup milk
Equipment
9-inch round cake pan with at least 2-inch high sides
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the orange zest. Place in the preheated oven and lower the heat from 350°F to 325°F. Bake until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. When pressing down on the cake, the surface should bounce back, about 55 to 60 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the inside rim of the cake pan to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Then, turn the cake out onto a platter.
