Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Fair warning: cranberries are tart. Delicious. But tart. This may look like a cake with cherries on top, but it sure doesn’t taste like it. This cake is a mature flavor best suited for adults, and even then the sweetened whipped cream is a MUST. Kids will love the look of the cake, but probably not the taste, so although I highly recommend this cake, I’d also recommend making sure it isn’t the only dessert offered if there are lots of kiddies at your holiday table. Fair enough? Good. Whoever heard of too many desserts anyway, right? Psssht. Not me, that’s for sure.

Now, this cake makes for a beautiful presentation that is actually very simple to assemble. It is tasty and definitely different. The orange comes through nicely and adds depth to the flavor, as does the hint of cinnamon and allspice in the berries. The cake is yummy and moist, and the cranberry layer combines both sweet and tart. Visually, the ruby red jewel-like topping is a stunner. Again, the cranberries are still on the tart side, even smothered in sugar and butter, because they are whole berries and not a sweetened sauce. But between the sugar, orange and whipped cream, I think the tartness is at an acceptable level (although this might vary from person to person). If you hate cranberries, this might not be your dessert. But if you want a little sumpin’ sumpin’ different from the usual dessert offerings, then this is it!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Butter a 9″-round cake pan. Put a parchment round onto the bottom of the cake pan, and butter that as well.

3. Place brown sugar, ½ stick of butter, 2 Tablespoons of orange juice and half of the zest of one orange in a saucepan. Heat on medium until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Add cinnamon and allspice about halfway through heating.

4. Pour the topping into the bottom of the pan, and tilt pan to ensure full coverage

5. Sprinkle a single layer of cranberries on top of the sugar/butter mixture, packed tightly, but no more than one berry layer thick

6. Next for the cake batter: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside

7. Cream together the butter and sugar.

8. Add egg yolks one at a time and mix until thoroughly combined.

9. Add in the vanilla and remaining juice/zest, and mix until combined.

10. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Beat each addition until just combined

11. In a separate bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar, and whip with a had mixer until stiff peaks form

12. Fold whites into batter by hand, and spoon onto the cranberry layer, spreading batter until even and touching all sides of the pan

13. Place pan on a cookie sheet, and bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden, cake springs back, and toothpick inserted comes out clean.

14. Transfer cake pan to wire rack and cool in-pan for 15 minutes.

15. Invert cake onto serving plate, and let stand inverted for 5 minutes before removing the pan.

16. For the whipped cream: Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, or a hand mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form, then stir in the vanilla and sugar. Add to the top of your cake and serve!