Upside Down Gingerbread with Cranberries and Pineapple
Delight in the rich, warm flavors of the holidays with this Upside Down Gingerbread with Cranberries and Pineapple! This show-stopping dessert layers a moist, spiced gingerbread cake with a glistening crown of caramelized pineapple and tart cranberries, creating a stunning visual and flavor contrast. The sweet molasses and aromatic blend of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves infuse the cake with comforting depth, while the juicy pineapple rings and vibrant cranberries bring bursts of brightness to every bite. Perfect for festive gatherings, this easy-to-make treat is baked to golden perfection and inverted to reveal its luscious, fruit-studded topping. Serve it warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a dessert that’s as delicious as it is memorable.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 6 pieces pineapple rings, canned and drained
- 0.5 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.25 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup molasses
- 1 piece egg, large
- 0.75 cup whole milk
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside.
Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the light brown sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2-3 minutes. Pour this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
Arrange the pineapple rings on top of the caramelized butter and sugar mixture in a single layer. Place cranberries in the center of each pineapple ring and scatter the remaining cranberries around the gaps between the rings.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream 1/2 cup of room-temperature butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the molasses to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Then, beat in the egg until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions (start and end with the dry ingredients). Mix just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
Pour the gingerbread batter evenly over the arranged pineapple and cranberries in the cake pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter to the edges if necessary.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake, then carefully invert it onto a serving plate. Gently lift off the pan to reveal the caramelized pineapple and cranberries on top.
Allow the cake to cool for another 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3287 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 180.0 g | 231% | |
| Saturated Fat | 107.8 g | 539% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 652 mg | 217% | |
| Sodium | 1367 mg | 59% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 441.8 g | 161% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 13.9 g | 50% | |
| Total Sugars | 413.6 g | ||
| Protein | 17.3 g | 35% | |
| Vitamin D | 4.5 mcg | 22% | |
| Calcium | 868 mg | 67% | |
| Iron | 11.6 mg | 64% | |
| Potassium | 3761 mg | 80% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
