Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Cranberries and Christmas - they go together like Fred and Ginger, Bacon and Eggs, Chips and Salsa, Lucy and Ricky....well, you get the picture.  


I found this recipe in a magazine and made it the other night for a holiday gathering and everyone loved it. However, I thought adding orange zest and a bit of juice to the topping (before baking) would make it even better. I am going to be BOLD and make my additions to the recipe now, not having tested it yet with those additions!  I plan on making this again, with the additional orange juice in a couple of days. If it turns out badly, I will come back to this and change it. For now.....take your chances!


SO - if you feel bold, then add the zest and juice as I note below. If you'd like to make it without the orange, as the recipe was originally printed, simply eliminate those two ingredients.  (Hope this makes sense!).


Here 'tis~

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake


Topping~
8 TBL unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
zest of one orange
1/4 C orange juice
1 3/4 C fresh cranberries


Cake~
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C milk


Directions


1. Preheat the oven to 350 and put the rack in the center of the oven. Coat the entire pan (8 inch round cake pan) with 2 TBL of the butter. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 C of the sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the bottom of the pan. Add cranberries, in a single layer (as much as possible) on top of the sugar mixture.  Sprinkle zest over the cranberries, then drizzle gently with the orange juice.

2. In a stand mixer, or a hand mixer, cream the remaining 6 TBL of butter with 1/2 sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. Combine well.  In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  With mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, until well combined.

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

Enjoy!