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Cranberry Upside Down Cake

SAVE ✓ SAVED ADD TO MEAL PLAN PRINT VIEW IN SPANISH

This recipe is adapted from a Cooking Light recipe, and I have tried it out with fresh cranberries. I learned that fresh cranberries disappear from stores after Christmas time, and frozen cranberries can also be hard to come by. I found some frozen dark cherries and tested those in the recipe -- I almost like it better! This recipe can be used year-round with either fresh or frozen cranberries or cherries. I modified the original recipe by swapping out half of the white sugar with brown sugar, half of the white flour with whole wheat flour, and adding a little flax. These changes resulted in a somewhat "earthier," cake but still very moist and decadent. The cherries were a HIT with my Tiny Taste Testers!

Ingredients

Food
Amt
Units
Prep
Notes
cooking spray
cooking spray
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
brown sugar
cup
packed
2 tablespoons butter
butter
2
tablespoons
6 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed (or cherries cut in half)
cranberries
6
ounces
fresh or frozen, thawed
or cherries cut in half
¾ cup white whole wheat flour
white whole wheat flour
¾
cup
¾ cup all-purpose flour
all-purpose flour
¾
cup
2 teaspoons baking powder
baking powder
2
teaspoons
¼ teaspoon salt
salt
¼
teaspoon
2 tablespoons flax meal
flax meal
2
tablespoons
½ cup sugar
sugar
½
cup
½ cup brown sugar, packed
brown sugar
½
cup
packed
½ cup butter, softened
butter
½
cup
softened
2 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
eggs
2
separated into yolks and whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
vanilla extract
1
teaspoon
½ cup milk (1% low-fat)
milk
½
cup
1% low-fat

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare topping, spray 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Heat brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan, coating the bottom of the pan evenly. Arrange cherries or cranberries evenly over sugar mixture.

To prepare cake, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and flax meal in a medium bowl. In a mixer, beat white sugar, brown sugar, and butter on medium until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add egg yolks, one at a time, and vanilla, beating well. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Use clean, dry beaters to beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Spoon the batter into the pan evenly, and carefully, so as not to disrupt the fruit topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes on top of a wire rack. Loosen cake from sides of pan with a knife. Place a serving plate upside down on top of the cake, and invert the cake pan onto the plate. Let stand for 2-3 minutes, then remove from pan. Serve warm.

Prep time
25 min
Cook time
60 min
Yields/Serves:
6
Contains Eggs, Contains Milk, Contains Wheat
Nutrition Information

Yum Ratings

😫😟😐😀😍 “Can I have another piece?” —William, age 8
😫😟😐😀😍 “Whoa, the cherries make it awesome!” —Zane, age 8
😫😟😐😀😍 “Please, MORE!!” —Asa, age 4