When I think of cranberries I automatically think of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The holidays make everything taste more delicious, and just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, I give you Cranberry Upside-Down Cake! A delicious cranberry mixture topped with white cake and then flipped over – Heavenly!
Upside-Down Cranberry Cake
This cake is absolutely delicious with a sweet and slightly tangy flavor. After it’s done baking to perfection, you flip it upside down to reveal a beautiful red layer of cranberry jello goodness. This is a great option to serve right after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. You can serve it with white chocolate curls on top of some tasty sugared cranberries.
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
Cranberries: You will add these to the cake and on top. Combine them with sugar and water to make the sugared cranberries. You will also need cranberry jello and can see more options below if you can’t find it.
Orange Zest: This will add a pinch of citrus and tangy flavor to the cake.
White Cake Mix: You can buy store-bought mix or make your own homemade recipe.
White Chocolate: You will need white chocolate instant pudding and a white chocolate bar for an optional garnish.
How To Make Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Step 1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Use parchment paper to line a 9×13-inch baking dish with a little extra to go over the edges. Grease the base of the parchment paper-lined pan with butter. Put the cranberries, sugar, dry jello mix, and orange zest into a medium bowl and toss to combine. Add the mixture to the prepared pan. Add the cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil into a mixing bowl and combine until fully incorporated. Pour on top of the cranberry mixture.
Step 2. Place into the oven for 40-45 minutes to bake or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool thoroughly. Put a serving dish on top of the cake to flip it over. Carefully remove the parchment paper and top with white chocolate curls, sugared cranberries, and whipped cream if desired.
How To Make Sugared Cranberries
Step 1. Add the 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Allow it to boil for 2 minutes. Take off the heat and put in the cranberries and mix. Take out the cooked cranberries using a slotted spoon and arrange them onto a tray lined with parchment paper. Separate them as best as you can on the baking sheet.
Step 2. Allow the cranberries to dry for 1 hour. When the time is up, toss and coat them in the rest of the sugar. Finally, garnish the cake with your sugared cranberries
Variations For Cranberry Upside-Down Cake:
You can use the options below to alter or switch out ingredients in the recipe to fit it more to your liking.
- Cranberry jello is a seasonal jello and can be harder to locate, so if you can’t find it, you can just use cherry or raspberry-flavored jello.
- I like to a dash of cinnamon into the jello for more flavor.
- If you don’t have white vanilla cake mix, you can use a yellow cake mix instead.
- You can substitute white chocolate instant pudding with vanilla pudding.
Tips & Tricks
- Place the leftovers in an airtight container for the best storage method.
- This will last in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer.
- If you store this in the freezer, wrap it in a layer of plastic, then a layer of foil.
- If you have leftover sugared cranberries, I love to enjoy them as a nice and sweet snack!
More Cranberry Recipes:
- Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat)
- Cranberry Baked Brie
- White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge (3 ingredients)
- Cranberry Cheesecake
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 4 cups cranberries fresh
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 3 oz. envelope cranberry jello mix
- 1 zest orange
- 1 15.25 oz. white cake mix
- 1 3.4 oz. envelope white chocolate instant pudding
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/3 cups water
- 2 Tbsp oil
- White chocolate bar for garnish
- Whipped cream optional for garnish
For Sugared Cranberries
- 3 cups cranberries fresh
- 2 cups sugar divided
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper letting the ends of the parchment extend over the sides.
- Spread the butter all over the parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.
- In a medium bowl toss the cranberries with the sugar, dry jello mix, and orange zest.
- Pour the cranberries into the pan.
- In a mixing bowl combine the cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil and stir until mixed.
- Pour the cake mix over the cranberries.
- Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- Place your serving dish on top of the cake and flip it upside down inverting the cake onto the plate.
- Gently remove the parchment paper.
- Garnish with white chocolate curls and sugared cranberries and whipped cream if you like.
Sugared Cranberries
- In a medium pot bring ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup of water to a boil.
- Boil for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Add the cranberries to the pot and stir.
- Use a slotted spoon and remove the cranberries from the pot and place them onto a parchment lined tray separating them as best you can.
- Let the cranberries dry for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour toss the cranberries in the remaining sugar to coat.
- Use the cranberries to garnish the cake.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.
Leave a Review!
We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here.
Your email address will not be published.