Shelly's Recipe

CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Category: Cakes

1 cup (2 sticks) very soft unsalted butter, divided, plus more for pan
1 cup very firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed, rinsed and dried), at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 ounces (1 3/4 cups) cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Position rack in the lower third of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Lightly butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with sides at least 21/2 inches high. (A springform pan will work; set it on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any leaks.)

Put 1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons) in the buttered pan. Put pan in oven until butter melts, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven and stir in brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Spread brown sugar mixture evenly over bottom of pan and spread cranberries evenly over the sugar.

Put remaining 1 1/2sticks (12 tablespoons) butter in a medium bowl. Using a wooden spoon, cream butter with the granulated sugar and egg yolk until blended, about 20 seconds. Switch to a whisk and stir in eggs 1 at a time. Whisk until batter is smooth and sugar begins to dissolve, about 30 seconds. Whisk in sour cream, vanilla and salt. Sift cake flour, baking powder and baking soda directly into the batter. Using whisk, combine ingredients until mixture is smooth and free of lumps.

Spread batter evenly over cranberry mixture in the cake pan. Bake until center of cake springs back when gently touched and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs clinging to it, 50 to 65 minutes. Set pan on a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes (the cranberry syrup in the bottom of pan will be too thick if you wait longer). Run a knife between cake and sides of the pan. Invert cake onto a serving plate and remove the pan. Let cool for at least another 15 minutes before serving. This cake is best served warm and fresh. Serves 12.