Cranberry Walnut Upside-Down Cake

Topping:

½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

1 ¾ cups (7 oz.) fresh cranberries

¾ cup (3 oz.) coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Cake:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup buttermilk, well-shaken

Toast the walnuts in a shallow baking pan in a 350° (F) oven for 5 minutes. (This is optional.)

(For this recipe I like to use the leftover cranberries from my Cranberry Cordial recipe, which have soaked in vodka for 2 weeks. You can also use frozen cranberries, which you should NOT thaw before making this cake. I like to measure the cranberries in my 10-inch skillet so I know I have just enough to cover the bottom completely in a single layer.)

Make this cake in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Rub a small amount of vegatable oil around the inside of the skillet with a paper towel. Melt butter in skillet over moderate heat, and swirl to coat bottom and side. Stir in brown sugar, and simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle cranberries and walnuts evenly over butter mixture and remove from heat.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 6 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately in batches with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mixing until just combined. (Do not over mix.)

Heat topping in skillet over moderately high heat until it starts to bubble. Gently spoon batter over topping and spread evenly. Quickly transfer to oven and bake until cake is golden brown and a wooden toothpick comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes (check after 20 minutes). Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan. Invert a serving plate over the pan and invert cake onto plate. Cool completely on rack, 1 hour. Serve cake at room temperature. This cake is just fine made a day ahead and kept at room temperature wrapped in plastic wrap.

Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream for a delicious dessert, or plain as a coffee cake.

Serves 8.