Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Cranberry Upside Down Cake: The Charm of Home
This recipe really surprised me.  I threw it together really fast and made a few adjustments and the "wow" factor really popped in this recipe.  It seemed so simple I really didn't think it would turn out this fantastic.  It could easily be your Thanksgiving dessert.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake: The Charm of Home
It is a basic mix up and dump recipe.  This is how simple it looks coming out of the oven, but then it flips over and with a few garnishes it really turns into a super pretty dessert.  It also tastes as good as it looks.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake: The Charm of Home
The key was making the garnish and adding it to the top of the cake before serving.

Ingredients:
Topping:  (baked in the pan with the cake)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons butter 
12 ounces fresh cranberries, take 1 cup of these and reserve for a garnish, use the rest in the cake itself
Garnish: (applied to the cake after baking)
1 cup of the fresh cranberries
3 tablespoons butter
3 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
orange zest as desired
Cake:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 extra large eggs
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk

I made it with a 8 inch cake pan with 2-inch high sides.  The batter just fit.  Cook the garnish in a small baking dish.  

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  
Spray the cake pan and the garnish pan with baking spray.
To make the topping: In a small saucepan, place the butter and the brown sugar.  On medium high heat stir the sugar into the butter as it melts.When butter is melted stir in sugar until combined, let simmer for 15 seconds.  Pour the brown sugar and butter mixture into the prepared cake pan.  Spread the cranberries on top of the butter and sugar mixture.  
In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.  In a separate bowl use a mixer to whip the butter until light.  Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Stir in the orange zest.  Stir in the orange juice. Mix in the sour cream and the milk. Then stir in the dry scraping the sides as necessary until it is all well blended.
Pour the batter over the cranberries in the cake pan and smooth out.   Place in the preheated oven and turn the heat from 350 degrees F to 325 degrees F.  Bake for 55 minutes to an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.  
Garnish instructions:
Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl and stir the brown sugar into the melted butter until thick.  Place the butter-sugar mixture into a small baking dish and toss the remaining cup of cranberries over the butter-sugar mixture. Place in the oven along with the cake and bake for 20-25 minutes.  The garnish will be done when the cranberries are puckered.   
Cool the cake, in the pan, on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then invert onto serving dish.  Take the garnish and spoon over the top of the cake.  Add more orange zest on top if desired. 

Cranberry Upside Down Cake: The Charm of Home
The cake was moist and gooey in all the right places. Perfectly sweet and tart with the extra garnish of cranberries.  The more cranberry garnish you heap on the cake the better it looks.  I didn't put the whole cup of cranberries on this cake while taking the pictures but, I did after the photos and it looked even better.
Yield:8 servings
Recipe adapted from: Good Dinner Mom

I got in a festive mood this weekend and put up the Christmas tree.  I was playing this Christmas song while baking and had the candles lit and the Christmas lights twinkling.  It was most enjoyable.  The children that came in from work were most happy with the Christmas decorations and the smells coming out of the kitchen.  The magic of Christmas has begun.


Enjoy!
Sherry
I will link this to:

Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm
Strut Your Stuff Saturday at Six Sisters Stuff 
Homemaking Linkup at Hope In Every Season 
The Best Blog Recipes link party 
Anything Goes Party at Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo
Sweet and Savoury Sunday at Baking in Pyjamas
Tickle My Taste Buds Tuesdays at Lori's Culinary Creations
Fridays Unfolded at Nancherrow
Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
The Party Bunch Weekend Linky at The Idea Room
Weekend Retreat Linky Party at AKA Design and Life
Project Inspire at An Extraordinary Day
Totally Terrific Tuesday at Live Randomly Simple
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Foodie Friends Friday at Walking on Sunshine

11 comments:

Poppy said...

Hi Sherry,

Your cranberry upside-down cake is a little edible jewel! What a tasty luxury for the upcoming festive season!

Happy Wednesday!

Poppy

Linda said...

Hi Sherry!
I'm feeling the Christmas spirit here! Lovely on all counts. Thanks for visiting me and leaving your beautiful footprint to let me know that you were there, so appreciate it. And, I'm going to try this recipe!
Hugs,
Linda at Beautiful Days

Michele M./ Finch Rest said...


Dear Sherry,

I am sitting here with tears running down my face. That is the most beautiful Christmas song - version- I have ever heard in my whole life.

It's floored me, oh my gosh.

As for your cake, I am making it. It's what we're having, for sure, looks awesome. WOW!! Thanks for this awesome post!

angie said...

danke für das rezept!!! liebe grüße von angie

Tante Mali said...

This cranberry cake is the best I've ever seen. As I love the taste of cranberris I have to try it. Thank you so much for the recipe - sounds so yummmiiiieeee!
Have a happy happy time
Elisabeth

Deborah Montgomery said...

Had to share that piano piece on my FB page, one of my very favorites songs ever. So beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
And I'm printing out that cranberry cake recipe -- I love cranberries, and this looks delicious, as well as pretty.

Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse said...

I wish I could just stop by and steal some of that yummy looking cake!

Poppy @ With a Dash of Color said...

Absolutely scrumptious! I had to pin it!!! Enjoyed the piano piece....hauntingly beautiful! Thanks for sharing and the recipe~hugs, Poppy

Lou Lou Girls said...

Hello gorgeous! I’m licking my lips right now, it looks so good! Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see on Monday at 7 pm. We love to party with you! Happy Monday~Lou Lou Girls

Unknown said...

Congratulations!! Your recipe has been featured at Tickle My Tastebuds on my blog, Lori’s Culinary Creations. Hop on over and grab a feature button and link up your latest culinary creations. Congrats again.
Link- http://bit.ly/1vJVhoh
Lori

Mindie Hilton said...

Featuring this week! I am posting linky Wednesday not Friday this week.