I recently brought this cake to a dinner for ten, and it was much enjoyed by all. I don't make it very often, and then each time I do, I resolve to not wait so long!
CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
8-10 servings
adapted from Cooking Light, November 2009
Topping:
butter for preparing the cake pan
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 T. butter
6 oz fresh or frozen, thawed, cranberries
Cake
1-1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs, separating out whites/yolks (both used in recipe)
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. skim milk (other milk also fine)
optional: serve with vanilla ice cream
Preheat oven to 350.
To prepare topping, generously butter a 9" round cake pan. (If you have a “quick-release” pan with a slider, that will help get the cake out; see NOTE at bottom.) Heat brown sugar and 2 T. butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Pour sugar mixture into prepared cake pan, tilting pan to coat bottom evenly. Arrange cranberries evenly over sugar mixture.
To prepare cake: set out a small, medium, and large bowls.
In the small bowl, beat the egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside; this will be stirred into the batter.
In the medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a whisk.
In the larger bowl, beat sugar and 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until well blended and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add egg yolks and beat well. Beat in vanilla. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Then gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
Spoon the batter over the cranberries, spreading evenly. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 15 minutes on wire rack. Place a serving plate upside down on top of cake, and invert the cake pan onto the plate. Let stand 5 minutes and remove the pan. Serve warm (or see below for making further ahead).
NOTE: I have also made the cake as much as a day before serving. I left it in the pan until ready to serve. When I used a pan with a "slider" to loosen it, it came out easily. When I used a pan without a slider, I had to work to loosen some of the bottom as well as the sides, and lost some around the edges.
