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Cranberry Upside-Down Cake Recipe

Cranberry Upside Down Cake is soft and tender. The cake tastes like sweet cream which is a great contrast to the tartness of the cranberries.

Top angle photo of a piece of soft yellow cake that\'s topped in a fresh cranberry sauce on a metal plate. 3 fresh cranberries sit on the plate next to the cake.

Cranberries are such an underutilized fruit. It used to be that most households would buy a bag of cranberries (or can) for Thanksgiving. They were always made into a sauce or salad in my house. If only I’d had this Cranberry Upside-Down Cake.

Top angle photo of a piece of soft yellow cake that\'s topped in a fresh cranberry sauce on a metal plate. 3 fresh cranberries sit on the plate next to the cake. A cake stand holding the whole cake sits in the background.

Our use of cranberries is much better today. I put dried cranberries in salads, oatmeal, trail mix, and granola. I still don’t buy and use fresh or frozen whole cranberries except at Thanksgiving. After all of the cranberry recipes being published this week, there may be a shortage by the time we get to Thanksgiving.

A top-down photo of a cranberry upside-down cake sitting on a glass plate. Three fresh cranberries sit next to the cake.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake may change that in this house. I can’t tell you how delicious this cake is. It’s so soft and tender. It tastes like sweet cream and is a wonderful contrast to the tartness of the cranberries. It’s going to become one of our regular favorites.

Top angle photo of a piece of soft yellow cake that\'s topped in a fresh cranberry sauce on a metal plate. 3 fresh cranberries and a fork sit on the plate next to the cake.

Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!

Cut piece of a Cranberry Upside-Down Cake on a metal plate with raw cranberries in the fore front.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake Recipe

Author: Hostess At Heart
Cranberry Upside Down Cake is soft and tender. The cake tastes like sweet cream which is a great contrast to the tartness of the cranberries.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword: Cranberry cake, Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, Upside-down cake
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients
  

Topping

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 cups whole cranberries fresh or frozen (thawed)
  • 2 tbsp of seedless red raspberry or red plum jelly/jam

Cake

  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs separated
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tarter

Instructions
 

  • Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with a 9-inch parchment paper round and then spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter for the topping. Add remaining topping ingredients. Cook over a medium heat until cranberries begin to soften, approximately 3 minutes. Strain cranberries from the juice. Put cranberries into the bottom of the prepared cake pan in a single layer. Return 1/2 cup of juice to the saucepan. Discard the rest. (I only had 1/2 cup of juice so used all of it. Continue cooking until thickened, approximately 5 minutes. Once thickened spread the sauce over the cranberries. Refrigerate while you prepare the cake.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add vanilla and then egg yolks one at a time. Mix until well combined.
  • Alternate adding flour mixture and heavy cream, beating on low speed just until combined.
  • In a small mixing bowl add egg whites and cream of tarter. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into cake batter.
  • Gently spoon batter over cranberries, smoothing the top out evenly.
  • Bake 40 to 50 minutes until top is browned and center springs back. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a paring knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Remove the parchment paper carefully. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Notes

Adapted from HyVee Seasons Holiday 2011 issue.

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 2gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 99mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 1gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 835IUVitamin C: 5.4mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 0.7mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline’s Cooking and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration. But first, see all the other cranberry recipes being shared today:

If you like cranberries like I love cranberries, here are a couple more of my favorite recipes!

Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread

A loaf of Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread drizzled with a powdered sugar glaze on a white plate. A large slice is on its side in front of the loaf showing the cranberry running throughout

Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts

Two baked glazed donuts sit on a white plate. The front one is topped with ground walnuts. A cooling wrack with more baked and glazed donuts sit in the background.

Pork Chops with Cranberry Thyme Sauce

A white plate filled with a breaded Pork chop topped with a dollop of cranberry sauce and fresh thyme. Baked squash and quinoa sit next to the pork chop. The plate sits on a green napkin over a woven placemat.

Pin it now!

A two photo collage for Pinterest. The top photo is Top angle photo of a piece of soft yellow cake that\'s topped in a fresh cranberry sauce on a metal plate. 3 fresh cranberries sit on the plate next to the cake. The slice with the whole cake in the background. The title \"Cranberry Upside Down Cake\" runs through the center.
Recipe Rating




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Monday 25th of April 2022

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Linda K

Wednesday 26th of May 2021

I made this cake a couple of times over the holidays and just pulled one from the freezer. It thawed out perfectly and we loved having cake without having to make one.

Jennifer A Stewart

Monday 5th of December 2016

I never ate too many cranberries growing up because my mom only used the canned stuff. Once I started eating fresh ones and making my own sauce from scratch it changed my world!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 6th of December 2016

Same here Jennifer! If it wasn't in the can it was ground up into a sauce. I've changed my ways my friend!

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