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Cranberry Upside-Down Cake with White Chocolate Garnish Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 75 reviews

This delicious Cranberry Upside-Down Cake combines the tartness of fresh cranberries with the sweetness of a white cake base and white chocolate accents. The cranberries are baked at the bottom of the pan to create a vibrant fruit layer that becomes the top once the cake is inverted after baking. Garnished with white chocolate curls, sugared cranberries, and optional whipped cream, this dessert is perfect for holiday celebrations or any occasion that calls for a festive and flavorful treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake and Topping

  • 1/4 cup butter (softened)
  • 4 cups fresh cranberries
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 (3 oz) envelope cranberry jello mix
  • 1 orange zest
  • 1 (15.25 oz) white cake mix
  • 1 (3.4 oz) envelope white chocolate instant pudding mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • White chocolate bar (for garnish)
  • Whipped cream (optional for garnish)

Sugared Cranberries

  • 3 cups fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups sugar (divided)
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get it ready for baking the cake.
  2. Prepare Baking Dish: Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, letting the ends extend over the sides for easy removal later.
  3. Butter the Pan: Spread the softened butter evenly over the bottom of the parchment paper-lined pan.
  4. Toss Cranberries: In a medium bowl, combine 4 cups fresh cranberries with 3/4 cup sugar, the dry cranberry jello mix, and orange zest. Toss to coat well.
  5. Add Cranberries to Pan: Pour the cranberry mixture evenly over the buttered parchment paper in the pan.
  6. Mix Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, white chocolate instant pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
  7. Pour Batter Over Cranberries: Carefully pour the cake batter on top of the cranberry layer in the baking dish, smoothing it out evenly.
  8. Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  9. Cool Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan.
  10. Invert Cake: Place a serving dish on top of the baking pan, then carefully flip the pan and dish together to invert the cake, transferring it onto the serving plate.
  11. Remove Parchment Paper: Gently peel away the parchment paper from the top of the cake, which was the base during baking.
  12. Garnish: Decorate the top of the cake with white chocolate curls made from the white chocolate bar, sugared cranberries, and optional whipped cream.
  13. Prepare Sugared Cranberries: In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil and let it boil for 2 minutes.
  14. Add Cranberries to Syrup: Remove the pot from heat and stir in 3 cups fresh cranberries to coat them in the syrup.
  15. Dry Cranberries: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries onto a parchment-lined tray, spreading them out as much as possible. Let them dry for 1 hour.
  16. Coat Cranberries with Sugar: After drying, toss the cranberries with the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar to coat well.
  17. Use Sugared Cranberries for Garnish: Use these sugared cranberries to decorate the top of the inverted cake as a festive finishing touch.

Notes

  • Make sure to cool the cake completely before inverting to avoid breakage.
  • Fresh cranberries can be used for both the cake and sugared garnish to highlight seasonal flavors.
  • The cranberries contain natural tartness balanced by the sweetness of the cake and sugar coatings.
  • White chocolate curls can be easily made by shaving a chilled white chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler.
  • Whipped cream complements the tart cranberries for additional creaminess but is optional.
  • Line the baking dish with parchment paper for easy cake removal and a clean presentation.

Keywords: cranberry upside-down cake, cranberry dessert, white chocolate cake, holiday cake, sugared cranberries, festive dessert

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/cranberry-upside-down-cake-with-white-chocolate-garnish-recipe/