Learn how to make an easy double layered cranberry upside down cake that will look and taste great during this holiday season.

Cranberry plants are perennial and go dormant over the winter. They are one of the few fruits that are harvested in the fall. Their tart flavor is unique and delicious so I often make a special effort to cook and/or bake with fresh cranberries around the holidays.
We are fortunate enough to be invited to my brother and sister-in-law's house this year for Thanksgiving dinner so I offered to help with the cooking and bring a few dishes. One of them was this festive Cranberry Upside Down Cake for dessert.
Ingredients for Cranberry Layered Cake
- Butter
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Fresh cranberries
- White cake mix
- Vegetable oil
- Water
- Egg whites
This cake is pretty easy to make. I take a shortcut by using a boxed cake mix and chopping up some of the cranberry mixture for the filling.
Flipping it out onto a plate is definitely the hardest part.
Still, I think it looks really nice for the holidays and in my humble opinion tastes even better.
More Great Cranberry Desserts
Layered Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 c butter
- 2 c . sugar
- 1 t cinnamon
- 2 T . lemon juice
- 1 T . lemon zest
- 1 12 oz . bag fresh cranberries
- 1 box white cake mix 18.25 oz
- 1/3 c vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 c water
- 3 egg whites
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Grease 2 8-inch cake pans
- In a large saucepan melt butter, sugar, lemon juice & zest and cinnamon. Once sugar is dissolved add in cranberries. Mix well and remove from heat.
- Once the cranberry mixture has cooled slightly transfer about 1/3 of the mixture to a food processor and chop. Pour chopped cranberries into one of the prepared cake pans and the rest of the cranberry mix into the other pan.
- Make cake batter according to the package directions.
- Divide the batter between the two pans.
- Place the pans on a cookie sheet or foil in case there is an leakage. Make a note of which pan had the whole berries versus the chopped berries.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the pans to cool slightly. While they are still warm place a large plate over the chopped berry pan and invert. Then very carefully using your hand, invert the whole berry pan onto your hand and slide it onto the chopped berries.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Kirsten
This cake looks so light and filling. Yummy alternative to pie. Thanks for sharing!
Heather @ new house new home
Yummy! The cake looks so light and airy.
Patti
Thank Heather, it is! The cranberry part is a bit on the decadent side so it needs a light batter.
Thanks for stopping by.
Patti