This exceptionally moist Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, topped with luscious deep garnet cranberries, is a unique twist on the more familiar pineapple upside-down cake. This quick and easy cranberry cake combines fresh fruit, orange juice, brown sugar, and cornmeal with a box cake mix and takes only minutes to prepare.
10-inch well seasoned cast iron skillet or a regular non-stick skillet
Ingredients
½cupunsalted butter
1cuplight brown sugar
3cupscranberries,fresh or frozen
15.25ozbox yellow cake mix
1cuporange juice
⅓cupvegetable oil
¼cupcornmeal
3eggs,large or extra-large
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
Melt the butter in a 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.
Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Stir continuously until the sugar melts, which should take two to three minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cranberries, a few at a time until the entire surface of the butter and sugar mixture is completely covered.
Add the cake mix, orange juice, vegetable oil, cornmeal, and eggs to a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer for two minutes.
Carefully pour the cake batter over the cranberries.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
As soon as the pan comes out of the oven, immediately place a serving plate over the top of the skillet. Use potholders and hold the plate and skillet together with both hands and carefully flip them over. Lift the pan off of the cake.
Voila, Cranberry Upside-Down Cake!
Video
Notes
I used Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix in this recipe because that's what I had on hand. You can use any brand of cake mix that you like. If the ingredient amounts called for on the back of the box are different from what I have listed for the orange juice, eggs, or vegetable oil, use the amounts specified on the box. (I replaced the water called for on the box with orange juice.)
Have your serving platter or plate ready when your cake comes out of the oven. If you don't flip it over immediately while it is still hot, it will not come out in one piece.
Be sure to also use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan to ensure your cake comes out easily.
You can make this cake in a 9x13-inch oven-proof baking dish, but you will need more cranberries, and it will be much more challenging to get it out of the pan in one piece.
If you use frozen cranberries, let them thaw completely, and then pat them dry with a paper towel before adding them to the butter and brown sugar mixture.
This confection will keep covered on your countertop for up to three days, so it's the perfect make-ahead dessert. I have not tried freezing it yet; it doesn't last that long in our house.