Cranberry Cake Recipe: How to Make Cranberry Cake
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 8, 2021 • 2 min read
Reminiscent of pound cake, this upside-down cranberry cake recipe uses melted butter for easy preparation—no stand mixer required. Once inverted, the bright color of the cranberries makes for a joyful presentation. Hints of ginger and orange add to the festiveness of this simple cake recipe.
Learn From the Best
What Is a Cranberry Cake?
Cranberry cake is a popular dessert during the holiday season when markets are brimming with fresh, tart cranberries. This cranberry cake recipe comes together quickly with just a few ingredients, many of which are pantry staples. The addition of cornstarch helps keep this cake tender and moist, and ensures the top of the cake will stay crisp once it is flipped to reveal the cranberry side. Orange juice and zest provide bright citrus notes, while the ground ginger in the batter adds a bit of spice.
3 Tips for Making Cranberry Cake
Here’s how to make the best cranberry upside-down cake at home.
- 1. Use fresh ingredients. Since this cake uses few ingredients, the quality and freshness of the cranberries and orange juice make a big difference. Use freshly squeezed orange juice and the best fresh cranberries you can find.
- 2. Don’t skip the cornstarch. An easy trick for making your own cake flour, mixing cornstarch into all-purpose flour makes for a very tender crumb without having to seek out a specialty ingredient.
- 3. Make it your own. This versatile recipe can easily accommodate other seasonal fruits—just make sure the fruit is fresh. Avoid fruit that is cooked or in syrup, as this will yield an overly sweet and mushy topping. To make a cranberry apple cake, substitute half a cup of chopped apples for half of the fresh cranberries.
Cranberry Cake Recipe
makes
1 9-inch cakeprep time
10 mintotal time
50 mincook time
40 minIngredients
For the cranberry topping:
For the cake:
- 1
Make the cranberry topping: In a small mixing bowl, combine cranberries, sugar, and orange juice and set aside.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 3
Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, salt, and ground ginger until fully combined. Set the flour mixture aside.
- 4
In a second mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, orange zest, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
- 5
Make a well the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the melted butter mixture, stirring as you pour to create a homogenous batter. Do not overmix: A few lumps are okay.
- 6
Grease a 9-inch cake pan with butter or cooking spray, then pour the sugared cranberries in and shake gently to distribute cranberries evenly across the surface of the pan.
- 7
Gently pour the batter over the cranberries into the prepared pan. If any cranberries float to the top or sides, tuck them back into the bottom.
- 8
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 minutes or so.
- 9
Cool the cake for 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then invert onto a cake plate to reveal the cranberry topping. Serve at room temperature.
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