Hey there! It is the day before Thanksgiving–what the hell are you gonna make for dessert? OTHER than the traditional pumpkin pie? And don’t even tell me you aren’t making pumpkin pie–you omit this from any of my family menus and it is grounds for cutting someone. This week here at Leena Eats is Thanksgiving week, and we’re rocking it out with the cranberry all week long, so you’re in luck. If you are in the mood for something light and refreshing, possibly a palate cleanser, check out my kick-ass cranberry sorbet with ginger and orange from Monday. If sweet and gooey is what you are after, my cranberry, apple and pear five spice crisp from Tuesday is right up your alley, especially if you rock it out with some vanilla bean ice cream (use Haagen Daas–I won’t tell). But if you want something in between, a bit sweet and a bit tart, check out my five spice cranberry upside cake, inspired by a recipe in my Chez Panisse Fruits cookbook and from this post on The Joy of Baking.
It is made exactly like you make a pineapple upside down cake–you melt butter and brown sugar in the cake pan together, sprinkle on the cranberries and any seasonings, then top with cake batter. When the cake is finished and cooled, the pan is inverted so the cranberries are on top, all caramelized and pretty and red and making ya hungry.
Leena?s Cranberry Upside Down Cake Topping: 5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter 2/3 cup (140 grams) light brown sugar 8 ounces (227 grams) fresh cranberries ? teaspoon Chinese five spice (you can add or reduce amount to your tastes) Cake Batter: 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) All Purpose Flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs, separated 1/2 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar Preheat your oven to 350 F/ 177 C. Place the top rack in the center of the oven. Lightly butter and flour an 8 or 9 inch cake pan. For the topping, melt butter and sugar together, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let this mix cook and caramelize, getting slightly browner, for a few minutes. Pour the caramel in to bottom of the greased cake pan, then sprinkle in the cranberries evenly across the top, and finish with the Chinese five spice. For the cake, sift the dry ingredients (flour, salt & baking powder?save the cream of tartar for later) together or give it a whirl in your food processer for 30 seconds to fully incorporate the all of the ingredients. Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. After scraping down the sides of the bowl, mix in vanilla and eggs one at a time to ensure they fully integrate with the batter. Scrape the bowl again, then add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts so you end with the dry ingredients. Take a clean bowl and whisk together the egg whites and cream of tartar (this will stabilize the eggs) until they form stiff peaks. Fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter in two parts, mixing well the first time and folding the last time. Pour batter on top of the cranberries in the cake pan, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the top is browned and separating from the pan. Make sure to cool for at least 15-20 minutes to avoid painful burning of your hands by the molten-hot caramel. Run a knife around the cooled cake pan edges, place a plate on top of the pan, then flip it over so the top of the cake is on the bottom of the plate, and the cranberries are on the top. I like to serve this with vanilla ice cream or an slightly sweetened whipped cream. Leftovers stay good for a few days if you store them wrapped in the fridge. And if you eat it all in one sitting, I won’t tell anyone. I will probably be doing the same thing myself.
~LTG!
