Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
106 comments » 
T-minus 16 days until Thanksgiving! How is your menu coming along? When I stumbled upon this cake a couple of weeks ago I immediately thought that it would make a great Thanksgiving (or Christmas, if you’re really planning ahead!) dessert; a perfect alternative to the traditional pumpkin and pecan pies. It’s festive and includes traditional flavors, but in a different form. I made a pineapple upside-down cake a couple of summers ago, and absolutely loved it. From the caramelized topping to the moist and buttery cake, I couldn’t wait to experiment with more varieties. The best part? This cake took less than 20 minutes to get into the oven, and uses very little kitchen equipment. This is a weak-in-the-knees cake. Buttery and delicious, topped with sweetly spiced, slightly tart cranberries. The perfect balance of flavors… ’tis the season!
A quick note on the recipe – my cake did stick a little bit on one side when I turned it out of the pan, so I had to push it back together. No biggie. Gives it character (and it tastes just as good!). Just be aware that because of the amount of sugar sitting on the bottom of the cake pan, even with a generous buttering, you could still experience some sticking when you turn the cake out. Embrace the imperfections 
What are you thinking about serving for Thanksgiving dessert?
One year ago: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Two years ago: Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1¾ cup fresh cranberries
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milkDirections:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. Rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter (it will be a really thick layer of butter). In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup of the granulated sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the cranberries in a single layer on top of the sugar mixture.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and ½ cup of granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.
4. Spoon the batter over the cranberries in the pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake; invert onto a rimmed platter. Store any leftovers at room temperature.
(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart)
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I love cranberries! We had our Thanksgiving last month but I think I am going to make this cake anyway! YUM!
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MarkWatson37 on November 10th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
Why do I love cranberries?
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This recipe sounds awesome! Do you think margarine could be substituted for the butter?
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Michelle on November 10th, 2011 at 1:25 am
Hi Rachel, I never cook or bake with margarine, so I couldn’t say for sure. The butter gives it fabulous flavor though, I highly recommend using that.
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Slurp…..that’s all I gotta say!!!
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Oh wow…I am definitely making this for our Thanksgiving! If I can wait that long. Thank you for sharing, looks absolutely delish.
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That looks wonderful. I love how jewel like and glossy the cranberries are.
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God what a jewel of a cake! Gorgeous
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What a beautiful recipe this is. So perfect for the holidays. Looks delicious.
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Perfect for thanksgiving, I love upside down cakes and just made an orange one. This looks such a great colour.
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I am making a glorious gingerbread pumpkin trifle, and your Chunky Pecan Pie bars!
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I’ve never made an upside down cake before, maybe i’ll pull one out for Thanksgiving!
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The recipie looks delightful! Always looking for something new and unexpected. Thanks.
I am making Pumpkin Creme Brulee and Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce.
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These sounds delightful!
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Such gorgeous light on that picture of the fresh cranberries. “Embrace the imperfections”… I need to learn to do that with just about every meal I make
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this is such a beautiful take on an upside down cake! i love the vibrant color!
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The cake looks so pretty! I love how bright fresh cranberries are!
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This cake looks beautiful. I was planning to make a pineapple upside down cake – now I will add some cranberries to the pineapple to make it look and taste spectacular.
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That looks so lovely! I have been trying to think about what to bring for Thanksgiving, I may do an apple cranberry crisp that I recently posted on my blog, but can’t decide!
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I love cranberries! I’m honestly not sure how I’ve managed to never make one of these.
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I love this twist on a classic upside down cake! It looks so festive, even for a Christmas party too! Just pinned it for my files
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That looks great! It’s nice to have an alternative to the regular Thanksgiving pies. Not that I have anything against pies!
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this looks fantastic michelle! i couldn’t wait to see the recipe after you shared your beautiful cranberry picture yesterday! i love how it turned out… sounds so good!
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This looks so good! Definitely going on my list of possibilities for Thanksgiving dessert.
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Wow, this looks beautiful and scrumptious! What a wonderful treat to welcome winter with! Thanks for sharing!
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Lovely, pictures and recipe both. My mom used to make a similar recipe with a cup of flour, a cup of sugar, one egg, and the cranberries – a little tart but delish. Will be trying this come the weekend, with a little ice cream or whipped cream, perhaps!
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How delicious! This is a PERFECT idea for Thanksgiving!
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This sounds absolutely wonderful! I wonder if it would work well in a cast iron pan?
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Michelle on November 10th, 2011 at 1:30 am
Ooh I bet it would!
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Ooh, that looks beautiful! This year’s going to be a quiet one at our house, so I’m just making apple pie and some homemade vanilla ice cream. Thanksgiving just wouldn’t right without it! But 16 days? I’d better get cracking on everything else!
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Oh wow… this looks delicious. Definitely not imperfect at all!
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What a beautiful cake!! I love the contrast of colours and tastes … just lovely. The “crust” that forms from upside down cakes are my favourite part.
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And I just emailed this to myself to make for Thanksgiving. I love cranberries and I love how simple this looks. Thanks for sharing!
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I love cranberries. I don’t think I’m gonna wait till Thanksgiving to bake myself a cake! Looks and sounds delish! Thanks for sharing Michelle
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I just had to comment to tell you how amazing that looks! I’ve been sitting here staring at it, wondering how soon I can get to the store to buy cranberries so that I can make it! Thanks for the always-amazing recipes!
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I was just debating whether or not to make this cake again this year, as I’ve made it for the last two Thanksgivings. Just seeing the picture makes me wonder what I was thinking…of course it’s gonna be on the dessert table! Plus, somehow the cake seems to get even the next day as it sits in the fridge, melding the flavors together. Thanks for clarity!!!
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I made this tonight and I justified it by calling it a preview-Thanksgiving dessert….it was wonderful!!!! So easy and quick to pull together! Perfect end for my weeknight dinner!! Thanks, Michelle!
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This looks absolutely incredible. I love cranberries, and I can’t wait to give this a try!
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I made this an hour (the time it took the butter to be at room temp) after I read it. I substituted almond extract for the vanilla extract. It was so delicious! Thanks for the recipe. This is something I’d definitely do again.
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Yeesh, just looking at these pictures is making me all hot and bothered. Beautiful cake!
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Fabulous cake! Pinned & Facebooked
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Wondering if you could make it in a bunt pan to make it come out like a wreath? I’ve only made pineapple upside down cake once but not sure how it would come out in a tube-type or bunt pan. Anyone know?
Thanks!
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Michelle on November 10th, 2011 at 1:34 am
Oooh that’s such a pretty idea! Haven’t tried it but would love to know if you do!
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The cake look amazingly beautiful
I’ve never tasted cranberry cake, but I’d love to try it
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This may be a silly question and I’m not calling your cake ugly but… Do you think there would be anyway way to make this in a bundt cake pan to make it look prettier?
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Michelle on November 10th, 2011 at 1:35 am
Hi Kyle, Lori brought that up above. I think it could work. Let me know if you give it a shot!
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I can’t wait for Thanksgiving either. I guess I am too excited. This upside down cake is indeed a perfect festive dessert. Everyone will be looking forward to this treat. Happy Holidays! Thanks for posting this!
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What a fantastic dessert for Thanksgiving. Your photos are beautiful. Totally pinning this one!
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I am making Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie and Brownie Mint Dessert. I will probably have Ice Cream (maybe Pumpkin) and whipped cream as well as assorted nuts, mints and other tid bits.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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As I was reading your post and admiring the picture I kept thinking….this reminds me of the cake from the martha stewart magazine I have saved from years ago…then I saw it was adapted from her. I guess if it made enough of an impression on me to remember and on YOU to make you weak in the knees…it’s time to make it!
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I’m stocking up on cranberries as we speak, so definitely going to keep this recipe in mind for when I start busting out the recipes!
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Looks delicious! Congratulations on the Top 9 spot! I love cranberry recipes.
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Wow, this looks amazing! Glad I found your blog – you have so many great recipes. Thanks!
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This is such a great recipe – I have made it several times over the years, the perfect way to incorporate cranberries into your Thanksgiving Menu!
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I love cranberries and this sounds amazing! I’m going to give it a try. Thanks so very much for sharing it!!
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wow, this looks great, thanks for sharing!
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I added a tablespoon of orange zest and substituted the vanilla for orange extract. Wowza!
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Penny Wolf on November 11th, 2011 at 10:50 am
I was just thinking of this same thing! I LOVE the idea!
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This looks great…..I love anything with cranberry……yum!
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love it..love your blog period!
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Awesome cake batter! Together with the cranberries it is tartly addicting. I plan on making your apple crisp for Thanksgiving. I made this cake following the recipe on my iPhone and I don’t know how you regularly do that! Love your blog though: )
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I’m going to try this next week for a gathering of friends and I think I will try lining the pan with parchment or wax paper, heavily buttered. Maybe that will help the sticking. Hope so because I really want it to look as good as I know it will taste.
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Oh this cake is definitely going on my Thanksgiving menu! I’m not a fan of pecan or pumpkin pie so I usually just have ice cream for dessert! But THIS is getting made so I can eat it!
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This recipe looks phenomenal! As the weather gets chilly, I am craving all the flavors of fall and cranberry happens to be one of my favorites. I’m a big fan a cranberry and orange together. What do you think about adding orange zest to the cake batter? I also like the idea of embracing the imperfections during the holidays, a time when the pressure for perfection is definitely on!
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Michelle on November 12th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
I think some orange would be wonderful!
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hey browneyedbaker, do you think it would make much of a difference if i use normal butter instead of unsalted?
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Michelle on November 12th, 2011 at 10:57 pm
Sure, just omit the salt in the recipe.
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Wow! Love the look of this. Do you think it would be good with more of a cornmeal/cornbread type base? I love the idea of serving it as more of a savory than a sweet dish with the rest of the Thanksgiving spread…
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Michelle on November 15th, 2011 at 10:28 am
That’s a good question, you could always try the topping with your favorite cornbread recipe. Let me know how it turns out!
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Do you think a springform pan might prevent the sticking you mentioned? I have several, but have never used them!
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Michelle on November 15th, 2011 at 10:32 am
That’s a good idea, I hadn’t thought of that. You could remove the sides, flip it over, and then carefully peel the bottom of the pan off what would then be the top. I might try it!
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Randy on November 24th, 2011 at 11:00 am
I bet if you buttered the springform like mad, then put in a piece of baker’s parchment and buttered THAT to death, it would come out like a charm…
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Bella on November 24th, 2011 at 11:20 am
I used a springform pan for mine when I made it. It has that nonstick coating in it and with that and following the butter instructions in the recipe it came out so easy. Didn’t even have to use a knife or parchment paper. I recommend the springform pan, it went really smooth for me with the take out. Only one little cranberry piece in the middle fell off.
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I SO Love this idea. May have to make this alongside my pumpkin pies for turkey day.
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Oh wow. I love the color of this upside-down cake. What a brilliant idea.
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What a beautiful cake. I’m thinking about making mini cakes out of this. Fun.
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Coming from a baking student who just recently found her passion for baking, who seems to have a knack for baking):
Have you ever considered turning the cake upside sooner to when you take it out of the oven? I just made angel food and chiffon cakes in class last week (had to redo them a few times and I took the time to do them all by hand, even with mixers around). We baked those cakes and then turned them upside down right out of the oven. I understand this cake needs to settle the juices a bit. But perhaps turning it over sooner would make it easier to get out.
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I just pulled my cake out of the oven and let it cool for only 10 minutes in the pan and it turned out perfectly! Such a beautiful cake and I can’t wait to sneak a taste once it cools completely.
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I’m so glad I found this recipe! I wanted to make a dessert with cranberries and I just couldn’t find one that interested me until now! Thanks you for sharing, I will be trying this very soon
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I Just made this recipe and my darling husband, giver that he is, threw himself onto the sword and had some. Let me tell you….This is so delish! I love that the tartness of the cranberries balances with the subtle sweetness of the cake. This is definately going into my recipe book as a keeper.
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I just made this cake. I let it cool for 20 and turned it out on a platter and it looked perfect! Taste wise…..wow….it was tart!!!! What would a good way to be to slightly sweeten the cranberry topping a little???
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Michelle on November 20th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
Hi Becky, Bummer you thought it was too tart! With all the sugar and the sweetness of the cake I found it to be a good balance, but if you want it sweeter I imagine you could use more sugar in the topping.
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I’m hoping to try this cake for Thanksgiving. Do you think lining the pan with parchment paper and then buttering the parchment would make it less likely to stick?
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Michelle on November 20th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Hi Hannah, Yes, I would definitely go the parchment route!
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I just made this cake and it’s wonderful! I used a 8″ iron skillet and it came out perfect. The tart/sweet top with the homemade cake! This was a trial run so now I will service another one for Thanksgiving.
I love your recipes!
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Think doing a mixture of cranberries and raspberries would be good?
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Michelle on November 20th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Hi Robin, That sounds good, although raspberries aren’t in season here right now so I’d be hard-pressed to find them! If you can get good fresh ones in your corner of the world, go for it!
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Sorry, this is a silly question but what about the cranberries seeds? are they any kinf od seedless cranberries? and another silly question, will frozen cranberries work on this recipe? Thanks!
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Michelle on November 22nd, 2011 at 8:26 pm
I’m not aware of any seedless cranberries, but they really don’t affect the sauce at all, in fact I never even noticed them last year! I do think you could use frozen cranberries.
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Hi Michelle,
I made this cake last week for a get together with friends and it was a big hit. I took note of your comment that it might stick to the pan and to butter the pan generously. I did, and it unmolded perfectly. Presentation was very nice and the sweet/sour combination of the cranberries and sugar was delightful.
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I made this cake this afternoon with my daughter and we both loved it! Def. a keeper for our recipe binder.
The only changes we made were to use a springform pan and I didn’t have any allspice on hand so we used a little more cinnamon and added some nutmeg. Loved the taste of the cranberries and the texture of the cake. I did a blog post on it and linked it back to this post so you would get the credit you deserve. Thanks for the yummy recipe 
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This makes a REALLY thick batter! Which is good, because it allows you to spread it over the cranberries without dislodging them much. One 12-ounce bag of cranberries is just over 3 cups, so I doubled the batter and made two! One for tonight with the family, and one for Saturday when we have “second Thanksgiving” with all my friends.
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This is a keeper. Made it this morning for our Thanksgiving Day dinner at Church. We had to set aside some to bring home or we wouldn’t have gotten any! Superb. Will become a staple in my recipe collection.
Dick
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We did this with 1/2 cranberries and 1/2 raspberries. It was heaven, thanks!
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This cake was delicious and very easy to make! I took it to Thanksgiving dinner yesterday and everyone was impressed! The whole cake was gone in about a half hour. I really enjoyed the tart cranberries with the sweet buttery cake! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I will definitely be making it again!
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Thank you for the recipe! It was delicious. Have a question though…the cake was almost like a shortbread cake. Is it supposed to be dense or light and fluffy? No matter though. It was yummy!
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Michelle on November 26th, 2011 at 11:32 am
Hi Rae, The cake should be buttery, moist, light and tender, not dense.
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Michelle – I made another version of this recipe last year but I love the buttery moistness of your version so much! This is now my go-to cake for the holidays. Thanks.
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I have made this recipe three times. I absolutely LOVE cranberries, so the 2nd and third time I added 1 cup extra cranberries. The cake then needs to cook longer, but my husband and I like it even better with the extra cranberries.
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Made this cake this morning, and it was fabulous! I added zest from one orange and baked it in a spring form pan lined with a piece of parchment to make getting it out after the flip easier – not a single cranberry got stuck!
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Do you think you could substitute blueberries for this recipe? If so, would you use fresh or frozen? My only concern is that the fresh would get too mushy. I wanted to make this to take to a friend’s house this weekend but since cranberries aren’t in season I was trying to think of a good Spring alternative
Please let me know, thanks!
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Michelle on April 19th, 2012 at 11:14 pm
Hi Ashley, Blueberries would be delicious! I would use fresh, personally. I think frozen might release too much water while baking.
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Ashley on April 20th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Thanks for the quick response Michelle! I am definitely going to try it with the fresh blueberries then – I think it will be delicious since I love the cake by itself already
thanks!
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Made this yesterday (I really appreciated the “one year ago… two years ago..” links!). Wonderful flavors and appearance but I was put off by the mouth feel of grainy sugar in the topping. Did anyone else experience this? Next time, I think I’ll cook the sugar and butter beforehand. And on another note, since this was just a dry run for Thanksgiving, I used cranberries I had frozen in late 2006! They had been packaged using a Food Saver – that is one amazing gizmo! They were juicier than fresh, which is to be expected, but the flavor had not been compromised in the least.
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Have you ever tried making a cupcake version?. If so, what did you do differently? I love this cake!
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Michelle on November 13th, 2012 at 11:58 pm
Hi Giana, I have not made cupcakes out of this cake, sorry I can’t give you any insight!
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