FESTIVE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
A beauty of a cake that can be made ahead and needs neither refrigeration nor heating just before serving—all a good thing when juggling any holiday meal. The mild ginger flavour in the cake is pleasant with the cranberries.
3 tbsp (45 mL) melted butter, divided 2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
2 cups (500 mL) fresh cranberries 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder Frentana.pdf 1 2019-10-11 10:14 PM 2 tsp (10 mL) ground ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) room-temperature butter 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
1/3 cup (80 mL) milk
Whipped cream for garnish
1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2 Use 1 tbsp (15 mL) melted butter to coat bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pan. Whisk remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) melted butter, brown sugar and honey together. Spread over pan bottom as best you can. It won’t completely cover. Scatter cranberries over sugar mixture so the entire bottom is covered. There should be a single layer of berries with no gaps, so you may have to add a few more or remove some. Gently press down.
3 In a medium-size bowl, using a fork, stir flour with baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer
set on medium-high, beat 1/2 cup (125 mL) room-temperature butter until creamy. Gradually beat in granulated sugar, then beat for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in vanilla. 4 Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in one-third of flour mixture, then half of milk. Repeat additions, ending with flour mixture, beating each time just until blended. Spoon over berries. Gently smooth batter to cover berries.
5 Bake in centre of oven until cake edge begins to pull away from side of pan and cake springs back when lightly touched in centre, from 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand in pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around outside edge of cake. Invert onto a large cake plate. If making more than 1 day ahead, cover with a tent of foil, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving, topped with whipped cream.
Serves 12