Cranberry Upside-Down Cake is a tasty Christmas cake made with fresh cranberries, toasty walnuts and a sweet caramel topping.
If you like Pineapple Upside-Down Cake and want a festive holiday version, you will love this Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, a deliciously simple holiday recipe. Check out all the Cake Recipes on the site, there’s all your favorites and more!
CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
When you hear “upside-down cake,” the first thing that comes to mind is probably pineapple. While pineapple upside-down cake is absolutely delicious, there’s another upside-down cake that is just as yummy and a perfect holiday treat.
Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake is one of those cake recipes that will be an instant hit at any family gathering this year. Whether you’re hosting or going as a guest, this gorgeous pastry will be a dessert that can double as a beautiful centerpiece.
Instead of maraschino cherries you get the beautiful red color from the fresh cranberries and instead of pineapple rings I’ve added walnuts to add a crunchy texture to the brown butter caramel that soaks into the delicious cake.
Enjoy some leftover Cranberry Upside-Down Cake with a cup of coffee the morning after your party to jumpstart you back into the holiday spirit. The natural tartness of the fresh cranberries, the sweetness of the caramel topping and a jolt of caffeine are just what you need to tackle the busyness of the Christmas season after a long night.
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HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN COFFEE CAKE
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VARIATIONS ON CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN COFFEE CAKE
- Nuts: Try swapping out the walnuts for toasted almond slivers or pecans for a change of texture and flavor.
- White Chocolate: Taking some inspiration from a coffee shop classic holiday muffin, add White Chocolate Chips to make a White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake.
- Buttermilk: Give this cake a rich, tangy flavor that will pair nicely with the sweetness by substituting buttermilk for the sour cream.
- Mini Coffee Cakes: Make these into cupcake sized treats perfect for giving as gifts by dividing into a greased muffin tin. You will want to reduce the baking time to 25-30 minutes.
- Serve with: Serve slices of Cranberry Upside-Down Cake with a scoop of Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream or with a dab of Homemade Whipped Cream on top.
CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN COFFEE CAKE FAQS
Can you make Cranberry Upside-Down Cake in cast iron skillet? Yes, you can. You will need to keep a close eye on the cake so it doesn’t burn, since cast iron will get hotter than you’d expect.
Can you make Cranberry Upside-Down Cake gluten free? Yes, you can. Substitute almond or buckwheat flour for all purpose flour.
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HOW LONG IS CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN COFFEE CAKE GOOD?
- Serve: You can keep Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature.
- Store: You can keep your cake in the fridge for up to 3 days, as long as you keep it tightly covered or sealed in an airtight container that will keep moisture out.
- Freeze: You can keep Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake for up to 1 month in the freezer. Once again, make sure to keep it tightly sealed.
Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake is a tasty Christmas cake made with fresh cranberries, toasty walnuts and a sweet caramel topping.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar , packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened (divided)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup walnuts , chopped
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a springform pan with baking spray.
Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent leaking.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl.
In a medium bowl add the brown sugar and 1/2 cup unsalted butter and microwave for 45 seconds until melted, then stir well and microwave for another 20 seconds.
Add the melted butter and brown sugar mixture to the springform pan and spread, then add in the cranberries and walnuts evenly.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup butter and sugar to your stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Add in the eggs, vanilla and sour cream until fully combined, then add in the flour mixture until just mixed in (do not overmix the flour).
Carefully, slowly pour the batter over the cranberry walnut mixture.
Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes, then turn a plate/cake stand upside down over the springform pan and carefully and quickly flip over before removing the cake from the pan.
Since cranberries are not in season in June, can I substitute the canned?
I would thaw frozen cranberries for this recipe.
I’m not sure if it’s because I’m lacking sleep, but I re-read the recipes over and over and didn’t seem to see which step called for the 1 cup of sour cream. I poured it in the main cake batter, like I normally do with some of my cakes. Is this correct?
Thanks for catching that. Yes, you did it right. I just edited the recipe card to read correctly now.
Yum! Love this holiday spin on an upside down cake
Thanks Haley!
What a beautiful cake for upcoming holiday parties! Delicious too!!
Thanks, Beth. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Have never tried Cranberry Upside down, so this is very special. I make pineapple too many times. Would love to go for it soon.
It’s a fun twist!
I love upside down cakes, and the cranberry is awesome.
They’re such a great dessert option and always a hit! Thanks for the 5 stars.
This looks like such delicious cake! I’d be hard pushed to stop at just one slice!
It’s a struggle, haha! Thanks for the 5 stars.
This looks delicious! I would love to try it but I don’t see what size springform pan to use? Thanks.
I used a 9″ glass bottom springform pan (this one specifically).