Cranberry Upside-Down Sour Cream Cake

Rating: 4.4 stars
96 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 61
  • 4 star values: 22
  • 3 star values: 7
  • 2 star values: 2
  • 1 star values: 4

I received this recipe a couple of years ago from a friend and get rave reviews from everyone each time I prepare it. It is not only delicious, but very pretty for a holiday table. Great for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

By LINDA MAUGERI
Advertisement

Ingredients

12
Original recipe yields 12 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap aluminum foil around the outside of the bottom to prevent leaking.

    Advertisement

  • Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of white sugar, water and cinnamon until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and then add the cranberries. Stir to coat with the sauce, then pour into the prepared pan.

  • Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter with 1/2 cup white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and sour cream. Mix in the dry ingredients. Pour the batter over the cranberries in the pan.

  • Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the outer edge. Invert onto a serving plate and remove the springform pan.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
436.7 calories; protein 3.2g 7% DV; carbohydrates 68.9g 22% DV; fat 17.5g 27% DV; cholesterol 72.9mg 24% DV; sodium 267.6mg 11% DV. Full Nutrition

Reviews (81)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Justina
Rating: 4 stars
02/21/2008
I love this cake. My mom made it for us on Christmas (changed it to 1 C sour cream) and used a vanilla sauce that consisted of 1/2 C melter butter 1 C sugar 1 tsp Vanilla and 1/2 C evaporated milk...It literally melted in our mouths. We weren't so sure about the tangy-ness to it but once the vanilla sauce was on it it was AWESOME. So you may want to try it with the vanilla sauce. She said it would be calliing our name later that night too and IT DID! Great recipe. Read More
Helpful
(114)

Most helpful critical review

bebe
Rating: 3 stars
11/26/2011
Being overly careful I lined the bottom of my pan with three layers of foil. I still had a terrible mess in the bottom of my oven. I had to bake this for at least an hour and 20 minutes. At 50 minutes it would have been a runny mess. I added the zest of one orange to the cranberry mixture. Overall the taste was good and it's pretty when garnished with an orange twist and greenery. Will I make this again? Probably. But first I have to clean the oven and that's going to take a while. Read More
Helpful
(9)
96 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 61
  • 4 star values: 22
  • 3 star values: 7
  • 2 star values: 2
  • 1 star values: 4
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Justina
Rating: 4 stars
02/21/2008
I love this cake. My mom made it for us on Christmas (changed it to 1 C sour cream) and used a vanilla sauce that consisted of 1/2 C melter butter 1 C sugar 1 tsp Vanilla and 1/2 C evaporated milk...It literally melted in our mouths. We weren't so sure about the tangy-ness to it but once the vanilla sauce was on it it was AWESOME. So you may want to try it with the vanilla sauce. She said it would be calliing our name later that night too and IT DID! Great recipe. Read More
Helpful
(114)
Dianna Lord
Rating: 5 stars
12/09/2008
This is a great holiday cake... I did substitute a few things...I omitted the cinnamon and used 1 tblsp of orange zest and I arranged orange slices in a spiral in the pan and arranged the cranberries around them... added 1/4 cup fresh crushed cranberries and 1/4 cup of orange juice to the cake batter and a full cup of sour cream... it was fabulous. Read More
Helpful
(74)
Obi Quiet
Rating: 5 stars
01/01/2013
This cake was delicious and pretty easy to make - I am not a baker savoury is more my speed but I was asked to bring a nut safe dessert to a New Year's Eve dinner and fortunately this one caught my attention. I made it pretty much according to the recipe though combined suggestions from two other reviewers (Thank you Justina & Dianna): I added the zest of 1 orange (naval orange I think) into step 2 (with the butter sugar cinnamon & cranberries); the juice of 1/2 an orange (naval) to the batter; and arranged seedless mandarin orange slices (about 2 oranges worth) in the bottom of the cake pan before adding the cranberry mixture. I also made the vanilla sauce that Justina described in her review (1/2C melted butter 1C sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1/2C evaporated milk) but at the last minute zested another orange into it - it was divine! It looked as delicious as it tasted!! My only concern now is that people are going to expect that I can bake!! Thank you AllRecipes & thank you reviewers - it was a huge hit;) Read More
Helpful
(52)
Advertisement
jeangetz
Rating: 5 stars
12/21/2010
Two things - really do cover the bottom of the Springform generously with foil without holes because the syrup will leak through and burn in the oven (and set off all your smoke detectors). I went by guess and by golly for a holiday party though and it turned out fine. Great recipe! Read More
Helpful
(34)
CATHY12957
Rating: 5 stars
11/12/2010
Really amazing!! I baked gluten-free with 2 Tbsp tapioca flour 1/2 C oat flour and the remaining with Brown rice flour. It was a bit too sweet and I think I am going to cut down the sugar in both the sauce and in the cake next time. Boyfriend loved it and cannot wait for me to make it again. Read More
Helpful
(21)
celia
Rating: 4 stars
11/21/2012
I like the tartness of cranberries so I reduced the sugar by half left out the cinnamon added lemon zest & used lemon juice in place of the water. I also used only 3 tbsp of butter instead of the 1/2 cup it calls for & it was still quite buttery and sweet. So if anyone is calorie or sugar conscious you can probably even reduce a bit further than half and come out with a tasty cranberry topping. I've used a similar recipe from williams sonoma in the past and I may return to it as I found the cake a bit lighter. Also you don't need to fuss with a springform pan - I've used regular cake pans and aluminum pans and it turns out just as good. Read More
Helpful
(21)
Advertisement
Kerry Allen
Rating: 5 stars
12/05/2011
Yum yum! I made this as directed except for AP flour as I had no cake flour on hand. It was delicious! Pretty sweet though. Maybe I will cut down on the sugar a bit next time. I also like the reviewers who suggested the orange zest orange juice and then garnishing with orange slices. I will try that next time. Oh BTW my batter was too thick to 'pour'. I had to spread it around on the cranberries as best I could but still did not get it all the way to the edge of the pan. Once it baked though it had spread cleanly to the edges no problem. Read More
Helpful
(18)
Deborah
Rating: 5 stars
10/14/2013
I used a parchment lined 9 x13 pan and it turned out great. Read More
Helpful
(10)
bebe
Rating: 3 stars
11/25/2011
Being overly careful I lined the bottom of my pan with three layers of foil. I still had a terrible mess in the bottom of my oven. I had to bake this for at least an hour and 20 minutes. At 50 minutes it would have been a runny mess. I added the zest of one orange to the cranberry mixture. Overall the taste was good and it's pretty when garnished with an orange twist and greenery. Will I make this again? Probably. But first I have to clean the oven and that's going to take a while. Read More
Helpful
(9)
More Reviews
© Copyright 2020 allrecipes.com. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.allrecipes.com 09/20/2020