Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Created by Fine Cooking Magazine, Dec 2005• Course: Desserts • Season(s): Summer, Fall
Ingredients
- 1 cup softened butter; more for the pan
- 1 cup very firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups cranberries, preferably fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup raw sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
Position rack in lower third of the oven. Preheat to 350 F. Butter a 9”x3” round cake pan. Put 4 Tbs. of butter in cake pan. Put in the oven to melt, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Spread the brown sugar mixture over the bottom of the pan. Return to the oven for 5 mins. or until the sugar mixture starts to melt. Remove from oven and spread the cranberries over the sugar. Put the remaining 12 Tbs. butter in a bowl fitted for a stand mixer. Combine the two sugars in a separate bowl, and rub the orange zest and sugar with your fingers until combined. Cream the butter and orange sugar mixture until fluffy; add the 1 egg yolk, and blend until smooth. Add the two whole eggs and mix until blended. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda onto the batter, and use low speed to combine the mixture until smooth. Spread the batter over the cranberry mixture in the pan. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-65 mins. Set on a rack to cool 5-10 mins. (the cranberry syrup in the bottom of the pan will be too thick if you wait longer). Run a knife between the cake and sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove. Let cool for another 15 minutes before serving. This cake tastes best when served warm.