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Skillet cranberry upside down cake is a quintessential fall and winter dessert. It’s a classic upside down cake featuring a beautifully tangy and perfectly balanced topping. Whether for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special holiday come-together, this festive cake is fantastic for sharing.
If you love fresh cranberries like I do, you’ll definitely want to try these recipes for autumn cranberry apple chutney and these apple cranberry cheddar muffins.
Introduction
The humble cranberry doesn’t get much attention until comes around—but when it does, it shines. Growing up in New Jersey, where cranberries are grown, we didn’t dare go through the holidays without something made from fresh cranberries. My grandmother used to make sugared cranberries for me as a treat, and love for this tart little berry stuck with me. When more than half of my readers admitted they’ve never even bought fresh cranberries, I knew I had to share one of my favorite ways to use them: this skillet cranberry upside down brown sugar cake.
This old-fashioned skillet cake is simple but elegant, made with basic pantry staples. The texture is made light and airy by folding stiffened egg whites into the batter. The brown sugar and butter topping caramelizes on the cranberries, making this cake absolutely irresistible with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This cozy, Depression-era-inspired dessert is the perfect way to use up fresh cranberries in a delicious way.
Ingredients
My Grandmother referred to this cake as a “scrapper cake,” which likely means that it’s a leftover recipe from the Depression–which means that it’s simple and takes basic pantry staples. Here’s the key ingredients you’ll need for this easy cake!
- Cranberries: You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe, although any acidic fruit can work in this cake.
- Orange Juice: This brings a bright, refreshing flavor to the cake’s topping that pairs perfectly with the cranberries. If you have only juice concentrate, use it. I like it as much if not better, but for the sake of convenience, I am specifying orange juice.
- Brown Sugar: You’ll need this sweetener in the topping. It brings a wonderful caramel flavor!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Skillet Cranberry Upside Down Cake
- Make the cranberry topping. Butter, brown sugar and the orange juice (or concentrate) are married in the skillet over medium heat until gooey. Heat a bag of fresh cranberries along with a splash or orange juice (or concentrate) until half of them pop. Then pour the cranberry mixture directly over the brown sugar mixture.
- Make the batter. Whisk together flour and baking powder and salt. Beat the egg yolks with the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract until combined, then gradually add the flour mixture. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they hold soft peaks, then gradually fold them into the other cake mixture and fold until no white streaks remain.
- Bake the cake. Pour that batter over the cranberry and brown sugar topping and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool for 15 minutes in the pan.
- Serving the cake. Run a knife around the rim of the cake and turn it out onto a large serving plate. Let the cake cool for another 30 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
The answer is yes. If you have a choice in the matter though, I urge you to try this recipe and method with fresh, whole cranberries.
A well-seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet is ideal for this cake. It retains heat beautifully, helps caramelize the brown sugar topping, and ensures an even bake. Avoid nonstick or enameled pans if you want that classic caramelized crust.
Yes, you definitely can try it with any well-flavored and slightly acidic fruit. Apples, pears, peaches, pineapple, or cherries would all be delightful additions along with the cranberries or a replacement for them altogether.
Serving Skillet Cranberry Upside Down Cake
My Mom likes this cake served warm. I am a bigger fan of this cake the day after it’s baked. Try it fresh and the next day to see which way you prefer it! Either way, it’s even better when enjoyed with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I highly recommend serving this cake as a dessert after a comforting fall meal, like this creamy butternut mac and cheese soup or homemade meatloaf with creamy onion gravy. Round out your meal with squash casserole or these maple bacon brussels sprouts.
Expert Tips
- Be sure that the eggs, butter, and milk are at room temperature before you start.
- The basic recipe for this cake is very versatile, and can be made with apples, pears, peaches or any full-flavored, slightly acidic fruit. Add pineapple or cherries to this cake recipe if you believe cranberries will be hard sell by themselves.
- You can make this cake ahead a day in advance–I like it even better on the second day.
- I have never experienced this cake not releasing upon being inverted. I am sure to butter the sides of the skillet as the butter is melting in the early stages of preparation, using a rubber spatula. I also leave the skillet in place over top the cake plate once inverted for several minutes to give it time to release completely.
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Skillet Cranberry Upside Down Brown Sugar Cake
Video
Equipment
- cast iron skillet, 8 inches or larger
Ingredients
For the Cranberry Brown Sugar Topping
- ¾ cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries, or thawed frozen cranberries
For the Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup low fat or 2% milk
- freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, optional, for serving
Instructions
Making the Cranberry Brown Sugar Topping
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat brown sugar and 2 tablespoons each of butter and orange juice in a large ovenproof cast-iron skillet, over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the mixture starts to bubble, about 3 minutes. Coat the sides of the pan with the butter as it melts using a rubber spatula. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Bring the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice and the cranberries to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until about half the cranberries have popped, about 5 minutes. Pour evenly over the cooled sugar mixture in the pan.
Making the Cake
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Separate egg whites and yolks. Place the yolks in a large bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, oil, granulated sugar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add to the flour mixture in stages, alternating with the milk, using a rubber spatula, starting and ending with the flour. Stir just until the flour is incorporated and no more.
- Beat the egg whites in a clean dry bowl with clean dry beaters on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest until almost no white streaks remain. Spread the batter over the cranberries.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, 30 to 40 minutes. I test for doneness at 30 minutes. If the cake needs longer, I test in 2 minute increments until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate. Let cool for at least 30 minutes more before serving.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with whipped cream or a quality vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Notes
- Be sure that the eggs, butter, and milk are at room temperature before you start.
- The basic recipe for this cake is very versatile, and can be made with apples, pears, peaches or any full-flavored, slightly acidic fruit. Add pineapple or cherries to this cake recipe if you believe cranberries will be hard sell by themselves.
- You can make this cake ahead a day in advance–I like it even better on the second day.
- I have never experienced this cake not releasing upon being inverted. I am sure to butter the sides of the skillet as the butter is melting in the early stages of preparation, using a rubber spatula. I also leave the skillet in place over top the cake plate once inverted for several minutes to give it time to release completely.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe adapted from The Art Of Simple Food, by Alice Waters, with a little tweaking by my late Grandmother, Anna. Re-published EatingWell Magazine June, 2016.
I love this! Please consider crediting your post to the Fiesta Friday party to be considered as a post of the week. But, i am pinning it for contributing to our annual Thanksgiving get-together. I am not a pumpkin pie fan but cranberries are favorites. Thank you for bringing this seasonal treat to FF.
Liz, thanks for pinning and also for letting me know how to be considered for post of the week. Is there a badge I am to use? If yes, where do I pin the badge? I love this idea!
YUMMMM! This looks so delicious. I love cranberries. . . I think their tartness is what makes them delicious. Thanks for the recipe–I’ve pinned this to my Baking board. (And amen to the iron skillet advice–I wouldn’t want to be without my iron skillets!)
Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I’m featuring you this week!
Richella, this is a wonderful message! Thank you! Yes, it’s getting to be that season again and I cannot seem to pass by those bagged cranberries begging for attention…thank goodness for cake, right? HA! Thanks again Richella 🙂 x – Jenny