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Cranberry Orange Upside Down Cake - Andrea Meyers
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Cranberry Orange Upside Down Cake

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian
Keyword cake, Christmas, cranberries, walnuts
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 615kcal

Equipment

  • stand mixer with paddle and wire whisk attachments or hand mixer and large bowl
  • 9-inch round cake pan (plain aluminum, no paint on bottom), 8-inch square with tall sides, or a 10-inch seasoned cast iron skillet

Ingredients

TOPPING

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 ¾ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts optional
  • 2 ounces fresh orange juice

CAKE

  • 1 ¼ cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ounce orange zest approximately 1 orange
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cups sour cream

WHIPPED CREAM

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 6 tablespoons sifted confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or fresh orange juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TOPPING

  • Place the cake pan on a burner and turn it on low. Add the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the pan and melt. Stir while the sugar mixture continues cooking until it turns a dark brown. Stay with it and don't allow it to burn. Remove from heat and allow to cool. The butter and sugar will form a crust as it cools.
  • Add the cranberries and walnuts (optional), making sure they fill the bottom of the pan. Pour in the orange juice and tilt the pan to evenly distribute it. Set aside.
    Cranberry Upside Down Cake - Andrea Meyers

CAKE

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.
  • In the small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the orange zest and rub it with your fingers to release the oils into the flour. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of the stand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing and scraping down the bowl after each.
  • Add the vanilla and sour cream, and mix thoroughly.
  • Turn the mixture speed to low, and slowly add the flour mixture, mixing for about 10 seconds. Finish folding in the flour with a spatula, taking care to not over mix.
  • Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until the tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a plate for serving.

WHIPPED CREAM

  • In the bowl of the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar, and Grand Marnier until you have stiff peaks. Serve on top of slices of the cake.

Notes

If you use a 10-inch pan, you should add ¼ cup of extra cranberries for the topping.

Nutrition

Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 1193IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 1mg