Pumpkin and Cranberry Bliss

This recipe comes from Elana Amsterdam's (of Elana's Pantry) recipe for Pumpkin Cranberry Upside-Down Cake. I first made this shortly after Christmas when I needed some time to clear my head. I had been wanting to make it for a while, but everyone discouraged me since they'd had enough sweets over Christmas.

On this particular day, however, I bought a can of pureed pumpkin and started making it anyway, and surprisingly found no resistance in the Lovely household. In fact, this became an instant favorite. My boyfriend's mother Habanera normally convinces Serrano (my boyfriend) to eat whatever sweets they have in the house so that she won't. I gave them a large chunk of this cake, and even though she told him to eat it, she polished it off before he could.

I've made some adjustments to it, like using brown sugar instead of agave nectar and pureed pumpkin instead of a home roasted pumpkin. I wish I had the time to roast my own pumpkins, but between school and a full time job, I don't. If you do, and would like to use it in this recipe, then replace the pureed pumpkin with 2 cups cooked pumpkin.





Pumpkin Upside Down Cake

1 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp. Original Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread
3 tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 cup Walnuts, toasted and chopped

3 cups Almond Flour*
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Cloves
1/2 tsp. Allspice
dash Mace

4 eggs
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 15 oz. can pureed Pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a cast iron skillet (or an 8 by 8 baking dish) with cooking spray. Melt the Earth Balance in a small saucepan. Once it is melted, add the brown sugar and stir until combined. In a medium bowl, combine the butter mixture with toasted and chopped walnuts and dried cranberries. Stir until fully mixed, then pour onto the bottom of the cast iron skillet, spreading it out until even.

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, backing soda, and spices. In a small bowl, beat together eggs, brown sugar, and pumpkin puree. Stir wet ingredients into dry. Pour into cast iron skillet over cranberry mixture, spreading until even.

Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the cake, then place a large plate over the skillet and turn over, resting the cake on the plate. Let cool to room temperature before serving, then enjoy.


*If you are a reader of Elana's Pantry, you might know that she does not recommend Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour for cooking, and neither do I. As much as I enjoy the rest of their products, this one does not always hold up when baking. She has a lot of useful information on the subject that you can easily find here.