Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake

Cranberries make a bright topping for this luscious cake, which is perfect for a fall dessert or a change from the usual pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Sweet, toothsome cornmeal makes the cake sturdy enough to stand up to the tangy, buttery berry topping, with delicious results.

Serves 10
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup medium-grind cornmeal
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Wrap an 11-inch round springform pan with foil so that if any butter leaks out, it won’t burn in the oven. Put the butter in the pan and place the pan in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes as the oven heats up. Remove from the oven and tilt the pan to cover evenly with melted butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly in the pan and distribute the cranberries evenly over that. Reserve.
In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, granulated sugar, zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the canola oil, egg, yogurt, and vanilla.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until well combined. Scrape the batter evenly over the cranberries in the pan.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs but no raw batter on it.
Cool for 5 minutes in the pan on a rack. Place a plate over the cake, and holding them together firmly, flip to invert the cake onto the plate. If any topping stays in the pan, quickly pick it out with a butter knife and fill it in any gaps on the cake. Let cool completely before serving.
Keeps for 1 week, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

Reprinted with permission from The Whole Grain Promise © 2015 by Robin Asbell, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.