Cranberry Walnut Upside Down Cake
Fresh cranberries are still seasonal, and a short season at that, so we love to cook and bake with them a lot while they’re available. This cake is a luscious slice of autumn weather!
Topping Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
7 ounces (1-3/4 cups) fresh cranberries
3 ounces (¾ cup) walnuts, coarsely chopped
Cake Ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla
Zest of one large orange
¾ cup buttermilk
Equipment: 8″ or 9″ deep cake pan
Natural Gas cooktop and oven
Generously grease a deep 8” or 9” cake pan with butter. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and grease the paper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Topping
In a non-stick skillet melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and simmer, stirring, until the sugar is no longer grainy, about 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts until well mixed; remove the skillet from the heat.
Cake
Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk together until well combined.
In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the softened butter, add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and orange zest.
On low speed add flour mixture alternately in batches with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. For a tender crumb, do not overmix.
Pour the topping mixture into the prepared cake pan and spread out evenly. Carefully spoon cake better over the topping and spread evenly.
Bake until a wooden skewer comes out clean from the middle of the cake, 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of your cake pan.
Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto another rack to cool completely. If any of the topping sticks to the parchment paper when you invert the cake, scrape the topping onto the top of the cake and spread while still warm.