Description
Delicious cranberry pineapple upside-down cake blends tropical sweetness with tart berry notes. Moist layers combine rich flavors, creating a festive dessert perfect for holiday gatherings when you crave something special.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 oz (170 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 6 sliced rings of canned pineapple
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsps corn syrup
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup (4 oz/113 g) butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 3 tsps pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp table salt (or 1.25 tsps kosher salt)
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cranberry Sauce Creation: Simmer cranberries with sugar, orange zest, and lemon juice over medium heat until berries soften and break down, then increase heat to create a rich, glossy texture. Fold in whole cranberries, season with salt and pepper, and cool completely to intensify flavors.
- Pan Preparation: Grease six individual springform pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Craft a caramel glaze by whipping butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt until light and airy. Distribute caramel evenly across pan bottoms.
- Fruit Layer Assembly: Spread cooled cranberry sauce over caramel, then carefully place pineapple rings on top, gently pressing to secure.
- Batter Composition: Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate egg whites and yolks; whip whites to stiff peaks with gradual sugar incorporation. In a separate bowl, cream butter with sugars, adding vanilla and egg yolks to create a smooth base.
- Dry Ingredient Integration: Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to butter mixture, maintaining moisture balance. Delicately fold whipped egg whites into batter to preserve airiness.
- Baking Process: Divide batter among prepared pans, filling nearly to the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, checking doneness with a clean toothpick insertion.
- Serving Presentation: Allow cakes to rest briefly in pans, then invert onto serving plates, removing parchment carefully. Serve warm for optimal flavor, or refrigerate up to three days to maintain texture.
Notes
- Cranberry Caramelization Tip: Simmer cranberries slowly to develop a rich, complex sauce with deep flavor nuances, avoiding rushed cooking that can compromise taste.
- Egg White Whipping Technique: Whip egg whites to stiff peaks meticulously, ensuring they’re voluminous and stable to create an incredibly light, airy cake texture.
- Moisture Balance Strategy: Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk carefully to prevent overmixing, which can result in a dense, tough cake structure.
- Temperature Control Hack: Allow cake to cool briefly in pan before inverting to help caramel and fruit topping set properly, preventing potential structural collapse.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 46 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg