Cranberry Apple Upside Down Cake

October 11, 2024 by Baker Recipes, Updated October 11, 2024

A beautiful addition to your fall spread, this simple cranberry apple upside down cake is full of flavor, featuring a brown sugar-butter glaze, tart cranberries, sweet apples, and an extra moist spice cake.

Prep Time

25 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield

8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 heaping cup (130g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 Tablespoons (90ml) whole milk, at room temperature

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
2. Prepare the topping: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and brown sugar. Whisk occasionally until melted, then cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, whisk in cinnamon and vanilla. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch pie dish or round cake pan.
3. Neatly arrange apple slices on top, overlapping if necessary, and sprinkle cranberries in the center and remaining spaces. Chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
4. For the cake batter: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
5. In a mixer, beat softened butter until creamy. Add both sugars and beat until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until incorporated.
6. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients while slowly pouring in milk. Mix until just combined; do not over-mix.
7. Remove topping from the refrigerator and pour the cake batter evenly over it.
8. Bake for 40-46 minutes, tenting with foil halfway through to prevent over-browning. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs.
9. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack before inverting onto a serving plate. Allow to cool completely before slicing for best results.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information is not available at this time.

Tips and Variations

For best results, use apples like Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp. You can substitute whole milk with lower fat or non-dairy options if preferred. This cake is best served at room temperature, and can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.