cranberry upside down cakes
(adapted from martha and smittenkitchen)
for cranberries:
6 tablespoons of butter
2 3/4 cups fresh cranberries
9 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
for cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
preheat oven to 375f. degrees with rack in center. grease and flour your pans (i used my adorable little molds.)
heat 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until it sizzles. add cranberries, and cook until shiny. add maple syrup and cinnamon. cook, stirring frequently, until cranberries soften but still hold their shape.
remove cranberries with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a baking sheet to cool slightly. set skillet with syrup aside. arrange cranberries in the prepared pans.
return skillet with syrup to medium heat, and cook until syrup boils, 3 to 4 minutes; do not overcook. immediately pour syrup over cranberries, and let cool, about 10 minutes.
whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a small bowl. in a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sour cream until well blended. add vanilla. scrape down the bowl and add melted butter. add flour mixture and stir until smooth.
add the batter to the cranberry lined pans. fill about 3/4 full. bake on a tray (just in case overflow occurs) for about 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. remove from oven and let cool about 15 minutes. run a knife around the edges and invert your cakes.
and hopefully, your little cranberries will be more willing to leave the cozy baking pans than mine. i had to pluck each berry out and return them to the cakes. maybe these are not upside down cake molds...
