Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

For 8 servings

• •Unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
• •42 g unsalted butter (1 1/2 ounces; 3 tablespoons)
• •50 g granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces; 1/4 cup)
• •71 g dark brown sugar (2 1/2 ounces; 1/3 cup)
• •Pinch kosher salt
• •280 g (10 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries, see notes
• •200 g granulated sugar (7 ounces; 1 cup)
• •113 g unsalted butter (4 ounces; 8 tablespoons), room temperature
• •1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• •1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• •1 /4 teaspoon baking soda
• •3 g (1 teaspoon) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight
• •1 /2 teaspoon orange zest from 1/2 large orange
• •2 large eggs, room temperature
• •113 g sour cream (4 ounces; 1/2 cup), room temperature
• •192 g all-purpose flour (6 3/4 ounces; 1 1/2 cups)Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème anglaise, for serving (optional)
• •Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème anglaise, for serving (optional)

Method

1. 1.Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Using unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray, grease a 9-inch aluminum cake pan, then line bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
2. 2.For the Topping: In a small saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and 1 tablespoon water to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to bubble, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and pour sugar mixture into prepared pan, then tilt pan to spread sugar mixture into an even layer that covers the bottom of the pan. Arrange cranberries over sugar mixture.
3. 3.For the Cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, butter, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, pausing to scrape bottom and sides of bowl every 30 seconds or so, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. 4.With the mixer running, add eggs one at a time, letting each fully incorporate before adding the next. Pause mixer to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, and add sour cream, mixing on medium-low until no streaks remain. Stop mixer and add flour all at once, then mix on low speed until just combined, 1 minute. Using a flexible spatula, give batter a few final folds to ensure all flour has been incorporated. Scrape batter over cranberries in the prepared cake pan, and spread into an even layer to cover the fruit. (A few cranberries may poke through the top of the batter, this is OK.)
5. 5.Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back lightly when gently prodded, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
6. 6.Place a serving plate over the cake, and carefully invert cake onto the plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème anglaise, if desired.