Desserts

Cranberry and Blueberry Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake

Chef Steven Obranovich, proprieter-chef of Claire's Restaurant & Bar in Hardwick (November 2010 Onion Skin Newsletter)

Many thanks to Chef Steven Obranovich, proprieter-chef of Claire's Restaurant & Bar in Hardwick, for allowing us to share his delicious dessert recipe. Try it with local cornmeal, cranberries and blueberries!

Prep Time

90 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Yield

10 Servings

Ingredients

1 1⁄4 cups butter
1 1⁄4 cups sugar
1 1⁄2 cups cranberries
1 1⁄2 cups blueberries
3⁄4 cup cornmeal
1 1⁄2 cups flour, all-purpose
2 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
4 egg
3⁄4 cup yogurt, whole milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees.

To make the topping:

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 10- to 11-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup sugar and swirl around for a minute or two, just until it starts to brown (not black) and remove from the heat. Allow to cool slightly and add the berries.

To make the cake:

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and stir until blended. In an electric mixer, cream 1 cup butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time. On low speed, add the flour mixture alternating with the yogurt (or sour cream) in three batches, ending with the flour. Scrape the batter into the skillet.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a knife point inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan, invert onto a plate, and serve.