Sweet and Tangy Cranberry Upside-Down Cake...and Toffee Giveaway Winner

Hope everyone's having a lovely weekend! It's drizzly and chilly here in central Texas, so it's a good day to be inside baking and listening to some Elton John in the background! I want to start off today's post by announcing the winner of a 1/2-pound bag of delicious Tungsten Toffee. Per Random.org, the winner is #9, which is....

All's That Left Are the Crumbs

Congrats!! I'll be in touch via e-mail later today to verify your toffee selection and get your shipping information. Then I'll forward your selection and shipping info to Tungsten Toffee so they can get the toffee sent to you right away!

Speaking of winners...I came across a fantastic recipe for Cranberry Upside-Down Cake from Everyday Food magazine at Martha Stewart's website. I've had a bag of cranberries in my freezer since Thanksgiving just waiting for the right inspiration to come along. This recipe was it!! Tangy cranberries sweetened with brown sugar and flavored with orange zest and spices. The cranberries are topped with a simple vanilla-infused cake batter.

What more can you ask for? Not much, really...except maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side!

Sweet and Tangy Cranberry 
Upside-Down Cake

adapted from Everyday Food

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350. Rub the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with 2 tbs. of softened butter. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. allspice, and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle the brown sugar-spice mixture evenly on the bottom of the buttered cake pan.

Step 2:  Arrange 2 cups cranberries in a single layer on top of the brown sugar-spice mixture. Frozen cranberries are fine to use, but be sure to thaw them completely before using. Grate the zest of one orange on top of the cranberries.

Step 3:  Make the cake batter by creaming 6 tbs. butter and 1 cup sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add 3 tbs. mayonaise and 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat until well combined. Add 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, 1.5 tsp. baking powder, and 1/2 cup milk. Mix on low until well combined. Don't be alarmed -- this batter is pretty thick. 

Step 4:  Spoon the batter evenly over the cranberries in the pan and smooth the top. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the inside rim of the pan to loosen, then invert onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges to serve.

This cake is so yummy!! I found the consistency of the cake to be almost like a torte. It's not really fluffy...it's almost like a sweet shortcake. The cranberries are really tasty...the butter and brown sugar become a bit like caramel, which takes the tart edge off the cranberries. It's a great combination of flavors. You can taste the warm spices and the orange zest in the background, but they don't upstage the cranberries, which are the star of the show!

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