This pretty vegan cranberry upside-down cake has a moist, airy, tender crumb and a juicy, glossy topping of bright-red cranberries.
This scrumptious vegan cranberry upside-down cake comes together in barely any time and it is gorgeous enough to make every dessert lover go "wow!"
The tart cranberries create a glistening red topping and play beautifully with the sweetness of the tender cake.
I love upside-down cakes, like this vegan rhubarb upside down cake and this vegan peach upside down cake. They are not only delicious with the nourishing goodness of fresh fruit, they are so easy to make and they look pretty with hardly any effort on your part.
Try this recipe If you're looking for a quick, easy and seasonal dessert recipe for the holidays. Then sit back and let the compliments roll in!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this cake
- It's seasonal and gorgeous. This cake is a holiday dessert to impress. Cranberries are all around this time of year and their vibrant red color makes the perfect topping for this cake.
- It needs just a few ingredients and very little time. Apart from the cranberries, you only need a handful of pantry ingredients for the cake.
- It is very easy to make. Upside down cakes are great for beginner bakers because there's no complicated frosting and icing to do. That said, do follow instructions closely, especially if you are new to baking.
Ingredients
For the cranberry topping
- Cranberries
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Pure vanilla extract
For the cake batter
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Leavening ingredients: Baking powder + baking soda
- Sugar
- Vegan butter. Make sure the butter is melted when you add it to the batter.
- Non-dairy milk. I used oat milk. Use any non dairy milk of your choice.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Pure vanilla extract
How to make vegan cranberry upside down cake
1. Line the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Coat the sides and bottom of the pan with vegan butter or oil.
2. Mix the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon for the cranberry topping in a small bowl.
3. Spread the sugar mixture in the bottom of the cake pan. Top with the cranberries.
4. Mix the milk and apple cider vinegar in a cup.
5. Whisk all dry ingredients for the cake batter, including the sugar, in a large bowl.
6. Pour the melted butter, milk and apple cider vinegar mixture and pure vanilla extract into the bowl.
7. Mix with a spatula just until the batter comes together. Don't overmix.
8. Place the cake pan in a baking sheet. Pour the batter over the cranberries in the cake pan.
9. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly over the cranberries.
10. Bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
11. Cool the cake on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the cake to loosen. Place a rimmed plate over the cake pan and flip quickly to unmold. Peel off the parchment paper carefully and let the cake cool on a wire rack. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
Helpful tips
- Use a springform pan for easy unmolding. After flipping the cake all you need to do is open the clasp and lift it off. If you don't have one a cake pan will work nicely. Make sure you line the bottom with parchment paper and run a knife along the edges to make sure nothing's sticking.
- Placing a baking sheet under the pan can help catch any juices that overflow, especially if you are using a springform pan, and it also keeps the cranberries from burning.
- Don't wait longer than 15 minutes after the cake is out of the oven to unmold it. The sugar in the cranberries will begin to stick to the sides of the pan as it cools down, so it's crucial you unmold while the cake is still quite warm.
Recipe FAQs
For a gluten-free cranberry cake, follow the cake recipe (replace the bananas with the toppings in the "cranberry topping" section above) from this vegan banana upside down cake.
Use whole wheat pastry flour for a healthier cake that also has a light, moist crumb. You can also replace the sugar in the cake with maple syrup, or reduce the sugar to ½ cup and add ¼ cup applesauce.
Absolutely! Blueberries or strawberries would work great here.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: The cake and leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to five days.
- Freeze: Freeze the cake or individual slices in a freezer safe container and freeze up to four months.
- Thaw to room temperature and warm a bit in the microwave or a toaster oven before serving.
More delicious vegan cranberry recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a review and a star rating below, or tag us on Instagram! Thanks!
Vegan Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Equipment
- Small bowl
Ingredients
Cranberry topping
- 2 cups cranberries
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cake batter
- 1⅓ cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons vegan butter (melted)
- 10 tablespoons non dairy milk (that's ½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Coat the sides and bottom of the pan with vegan butter or oil.
- Mix the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon for the cranberry topping in a small bowl.
- Spread the sugar mixture in the bottom of the cake pan. Top with the cranberries.
- Mix the milk and apple cider vinegar in a cup.
- Whisk all dry ingredients for the cake batter, including the sugar, in a large bowl.
- Pour the melted butter, milk-apple cider vinegar mixture and pure vanilla extract into the bowl.
- Mix with a spatula just until the batter comes together. Don't overmix.
- Place the cake pan in a baking sheet. Pour the batter over the cranberries in the cake pan.
- Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly over the cranberries.
- Bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the cake to loosen. Place a rimmed plate over the cake pan and flip quickly to unmold. Peel off the parchment paper carefully and let the cake cool on a wire rack. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
Recipe notes
- Use a springform pan for easy unmolding. After flipping the cake all you need to do is open the clasp and lift it off. If you don't have one a cake pan will work nicely. Make sure you line the bottom with parchment paper and run a knife along the edges to make sure nothing's sticking.
- Placing a baking sheet under the pan can help catch any juices that overflow, especially if you are using a springform pan, and it also keeps the cranberries from burning.
- Don't wait longer than 15 minutes after the cake is out of the oven to unmold it. The sugar in the cranberries will begin to stick to the sides of the pan as it cools down, so it's crucial you unmold while the cake is still quite warm.
- For a gluten-free cranberry cake, follow the cake recipe (replace the bananas with the toppings in the "cranberry topping" section above) from this vegan banana upside down cake.
- Use whole wheat pastry flour for a healthier cake that also has a light, moist crumb. You can also replace the sugar in the cake with maple syrup, or reduce the sugar to ½ cup and add ¼ cup applesauce.
- Refrigerate: The cake and leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to five days.
- Freeze: Freeze the cake or individual slices in a freezer safe container and freeze up to four months.
- Thaw to room temperature and warm a bit in the microwave or a toaster oven before serving.
Anonymous
We made this for my daughter's birthday and served it with vegan vanilla ice cream. I added a little bit of chopped apple and orange extract to the cranberry layer and used whole spelt flour. It was moist and delicious! Now I want to try your other upside down cakes!
Vaishali
So happy you loved the cake. The apple and orange extract with the cranberries sounds delicious!
patti
So very easy and so very good!
patti
Absolutely easy to make and very delicious. Plan on making a few for holiday parties
Baxter
This cake is SOOOO good and easy to make. Very moist and quite yummy! I love the cranberries instead of pineapple as its not too sweet and it's vegan too!
Vaishali
Hi Baxter, great to hear you enjoyed the cake! Thanks for letting me know.
Janis
Delicious cake and very pretty. I made this dessert a couple of days after Thanksgiving to give new life to meals with leftovers. I didn't have vegan butter so I used 1/4 cup cow butter and 4 T olive oil. I also didn't have nut or oat milk, so I used 1% cow milk. The sugar didn't completely melt on the top, so some bites had a little grit to them (no one noticed but me). Next time, I might add a few more cranberries for more juice. There will definitely be a next time.
I love your website. Every recipe of yours I've tried has turned out great. Now, your other cranberry pie recipes are calling me.
Vaishali
Hi Janis, so happy you made the cake. Thanks for the kind words! 🙂
Elizabeth
Hello Vaishali
I think your website is amazing. I want to make the cranberry upside-down cake over the weekend and my family is looking forward to it. My question is can I use oil instead of melting vegan butter.
Thank you
Vaishali
Hi Elizabeth, You can use oil!
patti
Wow made this while watching a Fifa game (can & belgium) Used some frozen berries rather than cranberries and is delicious. I will make again and again likely with cranberry's now the season is upon us. Excuse me while I grab a tea and another piece of this very good cake.
Vaishali
So happy you made it! Great to hear it worked well with frozen cranberries. Thanks for sharing.