Cranberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake

In the middle of this super cold weather, I whipped up a cake. A cozy, easy, ultimately delish cake, that has been inspired by the remains of Thanksgiving in my kitchen and pantry – cornmeal and cranberries. So a beautify, Cranberry Upside Down Cake. It is make with oodles of cranberries drenched in brown butter and brown sugar. So okay, the brown butter was a bit of an accident. A happy, nutty, and complex tasting accident.

There is something deeply satisfying about flipping a cake and seeing a glistening, ruby-red mosaic of cranberries staring back at you. This Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake is the perfect bridge bet  ween seasons. It’s got the festive flair of the holidays, but the humble, golden crumb of a classic farmhouse bake. And with all its red and vibrant hues, it makes perfect timing for a valentines day dish. Serve it warm and cozy, maybe with a dollop of ice cream.

The Story of My Cranberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake

Despite getting better at proportions, there are still times that I slip up, pick up more of something than I should. This Thanksgiving season, it was cranberries. I was out of vacation, and returning back, I saw them still lingering around. So, yes, turns out that cranberries keep well for a while in the fridge. Faced with sub-zero weather, a deck that looks like the artic, and houling wind, I wanted to use up the cranberies in a creative and cozy way. Scoring through my supplies, I also remembered conmeal.

And then my cast iron skillets, in different sizes. Simple, lodge cast iron skillets, that have served me well. And inspiration struck. I have cobbled up this wonder cranberry cornmeal upside down cake. The interesting think here is that I had started heating the butter and prepping at the same time, and without noticing or meaning to the butter had reached that nutty brown consistency. Not completely necessary, but, adds that amahzing depth of flavor.

A few general do and don’ts

• This is a cake with a tart and vibrant topping, so while upside down cakes are plenty and can be done with any fruit, if you want that vibrant tang, do stick cranberries of a nice tart fruit. One of these days, I will give citrus a try and tell you how that goes. But for now, let us stick to team cranberry, While fresh cranberries are preffered, whole berry frozen cranberries like these Cap Cod select cranberries. I had worked with them once, and created this cranberry ribbon snacking cake, which is also a good idea.
• Now, one of the highlights of this cake is  a carmelized buttery edge. The secret? The cast iron skillet. It  that magical edge that a standard cake pan just can’t replicate.
• And, flip it over in about 5 minutes. The few bits and pieces of fruit, are great for finishing off.

Now, a little bit about the flip!

The “Upside-Down” part of the name can be intimidating, but don’t let it scare you! Here’s how to ensure a clean break:

• Don’t Wait Too Long: Let the cake rest for about 10–15 minutes. If it cools completely, the sugar “glue” will set, and your fruit might stick to the pan.
• The Confident Flip: Place a large plate over the skillet, use oven mitts (that handle is hot!), and invert it in one swift motion.
• The Patch Job: If a few cranberries stay behind in the pan, just scoop them out with a spoon and tuck them back into the cake. It’s “rustic”—no one will know!

While I do think we have a little bit more of winter left around, at least so says the groundhog, here is a bright and cozy cake for you to beat those winter blues.