Cranberry Sauce Upside-Down Cake

What do you do with leftover cranberry sauce after the turkey is gone? Cranberry sauce keeps for months, probably longer, but why not use it for a holiday-ish cake topping. I was chatting with blogger Amy Sherman who mentioned baking a cranberry upside-down cake for Thanksgiving. She’d baked such a cake a couple years earlier, but couldn’t remember the recipe. Until her mother searched the internet and found the recipe on Martha Stewart’s site, WITH Amy’s comment.  So it goes for recipe developers, we forget what we’ve done once we move on to the next recipe!

I liked the idea of cranberry cake so I started with Martha’s recipe, added almond meal, orange zest and almond extract to the cake, and replaced fresh cranberries with a ginger-orange-cranberry sauce. I didn’t have leftover sauce after Thanksgiving, but had plenty of cranberries in the freezer for a fresh batch of sauce. It’s so easy, I don’t understand buying canned. Just simmer fresh or frozen cranberries with water and sugar (as the package directs). I usually use less sugar so it’s a tad tart-sweet. Use your favorite cranberry sauce, other than jellied which I don’t think would be right for this cake. I’m pretty sure you’ll never have leftover cranberry sauce for long after you try this cake. You’ll be looking for more sauce to bake another cake!

Print Recipe

Cranberry Sauce Upside-Down Cake

Keep in mind that cranberry sauces will vary in moisture which can affect how the cake turns out of the pan with the topping in place. I've made this cake mostly with homemade cranberry sauces and usually need to do a little patchwork but the cake still looks great.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 8

Author: Rosemary Mark

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (113g) butter, divided use
• 1 cup (~110g) cranberry sauce, divided use (see note)
• 2 Tbsp chopped crystallized ginger optional
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1-1/2 tsp grated orange zest
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (35g) well-packed almond meal or almond flour or substitute 3 Tbsp flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (120g) milk

Instructions

• PREHEAT oven to 350F.

  Generously spread 2 tablespoons butter on the bottom of a 9-inch metal (preferably non-stick) or glass baking dish. The butter will be a thick layer and it does not need to be super even — don’t skimp, the cranberry needs the butter for the upside-down topping. If using ginger, stir it into sauce. Spread 3/4 cup sauce over the butter to about 1/2-inch from the edge of the pan. Reserve remaining cranberry sauce for topping later.
  
• BEAT remaining 6 tablespoons butter and sugar with an electric mixture until fluffy. Beat in egg, orange zest, and almond extract.
• WHISK together flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt.

  ADD flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, beating after each addition and scraping sides of bowl. Beat on medium speed 30 seconds until smooth.
• SPREAD batter over cranberry sauce. Bake 25-30 minutes until cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched.
• IMMEDIATELY INVERT cake onto a plate. Let stand 2 minutes then remove pan. Some of the cranberry may stick to the pan. Scrape it off and patch it onto the cake. Top with remaining 1/4 cup sauce for a fresh, lush look. Serve slightly warm or cool completely. Cake keeps at room temperature, covered, for 2-3 days .
  

Notes

Ginger-Orange Cranberry Sauce Combine 12 ounces (1 bag) fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice and 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered stirring occasionally until about half the berries burst, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Sauce will thicken.