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Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Rating: 3.53 stars
291 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 61
  • 4 star values: 96
  • 3 star values: 82
  • 2 star values: 41
  • 1 star values: 11

Sweetened whipped cream is the perfect accompaniment to this slightly spicy dessert. The topping is made by simply baking cranberries placed in a layer over sugar and spices at the bottom of the pan. As the cake bakes, the sugar caramelizes, forming a rich syrup.

Everyday Food, December 2003

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Recipe Summary

prep:
20 mins
total:
1 hr
Servings:
8
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons butter. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle mixture evenly over bottom of pan; arrange cranberries in a single layer on top.

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  • With an electric mixer, cream remaining 6 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until well combined. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.

  • Spoon batter over cranberries in pan, and smooth top. Place pan on a baking sheet; bake cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert onto a rimmed platter.

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Reviews (32)

291 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 61
  • 4 star values: 96
  • 3 star values: 82
  • 2 star values: 41
  • 1 star values: 11
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/30/2014
Great recipe, but I recommend using a 9 inch pan, not an 8 inch pan and definitely add more cranberries, as other reviewers have suggested. I used 2 1/4 cups but will probably use the entire bag next time. The tangy cranberries complement the sweet cake.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
10/18/2014
Try this one, it is one of my favorites. http://www.marthastewart.com/332784/cranberry-upside-down-cake
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
05/16/2013
Big waste of egg and butter. Don't do this.
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Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/22/2012
This recipe tasted great, but it seems like it didn't make enough batter. The batter didn't spread over the whole dish and it was really really thin. Not nearly as thick as the photo in this post.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
02/22/2012
I made this in the 8 inch pan and found that it was not big enough for the batter and the cake was not done in middle even though I left it a bit longer. Next time I would use a 9-10 inch spring form pan. It was very tasty if somewhat doughy. Will definetly do again
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/23/2011
Excellent recipe.. Just add more cranberries, 1 3/4 cups is definitely not enough.. At least 2 1/2 cups...it's is now a Christmas family tradition!
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Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
11/17/2011
This was amazing. My brother ate half the cake. I used a little extra cranberries, just because I needed to get rid of them, and it was fine. I loved that the tartness of the cranberries balanced out the sweet glaze. Definitely will make again.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/23/2010
This cake is DEE-LISH! And very easy to make. I have made this cake many many times, and not just for holidays. The ONLY CHANGE I made to the recipe is adding emon zest for extra flavor!!! :) PERFECT! LAST-Make sure to grease the bottom and sides of the pan. The cake usually sticks just a bit... And I tried to double the receipe for a larger serving, but did not work out. DO NOT double the recipe.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
10/12/2009
I made this cake as part of our Thanksgiving Day meal. It was extremely easy to make, looked fabulous
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
02/17/2009
Made this cake for Valentine's Day family dinner in a larger heart shaped ceramic cake pan. Doubling the recipe would have been too much so I just made sure I had a layer of frozen cranberries on the bottom and then made 1 1/2 times the batter recipe. It was a Wow! Valentine's day dessert. Great with coffee and whipped cream. Kids weren't as crazy about it as the adults. Will make this again. It's beautiful.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/14/2008
I made this last night using frozen cranberries and it turned out wonderful. My husband had two huge pieces when he got home and he's not really a cake person.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/14/2008
I made this last night using frozen cranberries and it turned out wonderful. My husband had two huge pieces when he got home and he's not really a cake person.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/14/2008
I made this last night using frozen cranberries and it turned out wonderful. My husband had two huge pieces when he got home and he's not really a cake person.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/14/2008
I made this last night using frozen cranberries and it turned out wonderful. My husband had two huge pieces when he got home and he's not really a cake person.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/14/2008
I made this last night using frozen cranberries and it turned out wonderful. My husband had two huge pieces when he got home and he's not really a cake person.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/14/2008
I made this last night using frozen cranberries and it turned out wonderful. My husband had two huge pieces when he got home and he's not really a cake person.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
10/16/2008
This cake has become a family favorite. We are not 'cake
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
09/26/2008
Excellent. The cake has an excellent vanilla flavor. The topping could be jazzed up with the addition of some nuts, orange zest, or some orange marmalade in place of some of the sugar.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
05/20/2008
This cake is so easy to prepare and it's always a hit. Even people who think they don't like cranberries find this to cake to be delightfully tart and sweet. The spices mellow out the cranberry and the vanilla cake balances out the entire flavor of the cake. Absolutely perfect!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
01/29/2008
I made this one year, the night before, and it was fine. Yummy with real whipped cream!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/21/2007
Has anybody made this cake the evening before the date you wanted to serve it? Does it hold up well? Did you refridgerate it or let it sit out?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/11/2007
I've made this yummy, easy cake several times and just love it! It is pretty economical to make and involves just doing 1 layer. I've served it as a dessert and for breakfast/brunch. I've used both fresh and frozen cranberries, and it worked well both ways. Yum!!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/10/2007
This cake is fabulous. I used fresh cranberries and followed the directions since this was my first time to try it. It came out picture perfect. My guests at our annual Christmas party were wowed. This was also a very economical and simple dish to prepare. This recipe will be handed down through family and friends for years to come. Everyone should definitely try this recipe.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/30/2007
Lightly flouring the cranberries will help with the floating.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/27/2007
Excellent cake. Has a pound-cake-like consistency. There is a similar recipe for a Cranberry Duff on this site that is even better . . . more buttery in flavor because there is just as much butter and less flour in the duff recipe. This cake has a better presentation that the duff recipe and is almost as good.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/24/2007
My cake batter was so thick I had to spoon it on, and so it didn't cook all the way through in the 30-35 suggested timeframe. Is the batter supposed to be so thick?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/21/2007
my cranberries floated to the top and were not on the bottom where they were suppose to be. But it still tasted good. Any ideas why? other than they float in water?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/21/2007
Yes, you do use fresh cranberries for this. It is a great recipe and easy to make.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/21/2007
Yes, you do use fresh cranberries for this. It is a great recipe and easy to make.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/20/2007
I made this cake for Christmas and decorated it with kiwi. It made a lovely presentation and was delicious.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/20/2007
Are the cranberries fresh or what?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/11/2007
Appears to be the same recipe but in cake version rather than small individual sizes from Martha's master class series in Nov. 2007. From the class the cake was delicious, hoping it's close to the same.
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