Pecan Cranberry Upside Down Cake

This pecan cranberry upside-down cake is simply delish! The dessert consists of a cinnamon cake topped with dried cranberries and caramelized pecans. Each bite of this cake is a delightful profile of flavor and texture.

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Classic holiday dessert

Pecans and cranberries were made for each other! Pecans have a nutty, buttery flavor, while cranberries are tart and slightly sweet. Add this to a pillow-soft cinnamon cake and you have the ultimate holiday dessert.

Ingredients

This recipe consist of two components: 1) the caramelized pecan and dried cranberry topping and 2) the cinnamon cake. You need the following ingredients:

Topping ingredients

• Unsalted butter: melted
• Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar but dark brown may also be used
• Pecans: use pecan halves to achieve the look on the cake top
• Dried cranberries

Cake ingredients

• All-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt
• Vegetable or canola oil
• Whole milk
• Eggs
• Granulated sugar

See recipe card for quantities.

Assemble topping

Keep the following tips in mind when assembling the topping:

• Prepare a 8" round pan by coating the inside with baking spray.
• Melt the butter and pour into the bottom of the pan. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter.
• Next, arrange pecan halves around the outer edge of the pan. Then add the dried cranberries to the center of the pan.
• Finally, place pan in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until the butter solidifies. This prevents the pecans from moving around when the cake batter is added.

Variations

This upside down cake is easily adaptable to a variety of tastes. Consider one of the following:

• Walnuts - substitute walnut halves for the pecans. Walnuts and cranberries go well together.
• Orange - add the zest of one orange to the cake batter. Hints of orange pair nicely with cranberries, pecans and cinnamon.

Storage

Place the cooled cake in a airtight container or wrap in foil. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Alternatively, wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months.

FAQ

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📋 Recipe

Pecan Upside-Down Cake Recipe

This pecan cranberry upside-down cake is simply delish! A soft, cinnamon cake topped with dried cranberries and caramelized pecans.

5 from 44 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Cooling Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 people

Calories 279 kcal

Equipment

• 1 8" Cake Pan round pan
• 1 Electric mixer Hand- or stand-mixer
• Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
• 1 Silicone spatula

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Cake topping

• ¼ Cup Unsalted butter, melted
• ½ Cup Brown sugar (light or dark)
• 18 Pecan halves
• ½ Cup Dried cranberries

Cake batter

• 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour Sift if necessary to remove any lumps
• 1 ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs Room Temperature
• ⅓ Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
• ⅓ Cup Whole Milk Room Temperature

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 275℉ (135℃)
• Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan by coating with baking spray.

Cake topping

• Melt butter and pour into prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle brown sugar over the butter.
  ¼ Cup Unsalted butter, melted, ½ Cup Brown sugar (light or dark)
• Arrange pecan halves around the outer edge of the cake pan. Add cranberries to the center of the pan.
  18 Pecan halves, ½ Cup Dried cranberries
• Place pan in refrigerator for 10 minutes or until butter solidifies.

Cake batter

• Combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside for later.
  1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, 1 ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
• In a separate bowl, combine vegetable oil and milk. Set aside for later.
  ⅓ Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil, ⅓ Cup Whole Milk
• Place sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl.  Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes.
  1 Cup Granulated Sugar, 2 Large Eggs
• Add one-third of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
• Add one-half of the milk and vegetable oil and mix until combined. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
• Add another third of the flour mixture and mix till smooth. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
• Add the remaining oil and milk and mix till smooth. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
• Finally, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until smooth. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.
• Pour the cake batter over the cranberries and pecans.  
• Bake for 15 minutes at 275℉ degrees (135℃).  Increase temperature to 350℉ (180℃) and bake for an additional 20 – 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Place pan on a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run an offset spatula or knife around the inside of the cake pan. Flip cake over onto a serving dish.
• Note - Don’t let the cake sit in the pan too long after baking—if it cools too much, the topping can harden and make it harder to flip the cake out cleanly.

Video

Notes

• Note - starting the bake at a lower temperature for the first 15 minutes, then raising the oven temperature, helps the cake bake more evenly and reduces doming.
• Don’t let the cake sit in the pan too long after baking—if it cools too much, the topping can harden and make it harder to flip the cake out cleanly.

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 177mgPotassium: 52mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 131IUVitamin C: 0.05mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg

Keyword pecans, upside down cake

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Food safety

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.