1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries

Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries

By: Susan Updated on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 17:26:42 GMT Desserts

Tags: #cakes

Pin it Share it Send it Print it Jump to recipe
Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries Pin it
Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries

Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries. Prepare the ingredients before mixing, then use the method below to keep the texture tender and the flavors evenly distributed. The cut face shows the texture to look for when the cake has cooled.

Before you start

Weigh ingredients rather than packing flour into a cup. Keep flour, fat and liquid quantities unchanged on the first attempt: extra fruit or flour changes the texture. Prepare the listed pan; a much smaller tin can overflow and a wider one changes baking time. Keep the flavor additions separate until the instructed stage.

Preparation: 25 min. Cooking: about 45 min.

The displayed preparation and cooking times exclude rising, cooling and refrigeration. Allow the full waiting times in the instructions before serving.

Ingredients

Base

  • 40 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 60 g light brown sugar

Cake batter

  • 150 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 150 g granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 180 g all-purpose wheat flour
  • 6 g baking powder
  • 2 g fine salt
  • 100 ml whole milk

Flavor ingredients

  • 300 g apricots, pitted, prepared weight
  • 25 g flaked almonds
  • 50 g dried cranberries

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 175°C (345°F), conventional heat. Line the base of 24 cm round cake tin with baking parchment and lightly grease the sides.
  2. Wash the fruit and dry it thoroughly. Cut apples and pears into thin slices, stone fruit into small wedges; leave berries whole. Weigh the fruit after peeling, coring or pitting. Drain canned pineapple thoroughly. Keep zest, spices and nuts separate from the fruit.
  3. Melt the 40 g butter for the base and spread it over the lined bottom. Sprinkle the 60 g brown sugar evenly, then arrange the prepared fruit in one close layer. This is a buttery sugar base; there is no separate hot caramel to make.
  4. Beat the softened butter and sugar for 3 minutes until paler and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping the bowl. Use the amounts from the cake batter group, not the topping.
  5. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt separately. Stir into the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the listed milk or yogurt. Stop as soon as the flour disappears; do not beat the finished batter.
  6. Divide the additional nuts, dried fruit, coconut or chocolate into two equal portions. Scatter one half over the fruit before covering it with batter; fold the other half into the batter. The baked cake will have these additions on its fruit surface and inside its crumb. If almonds are listed, scatter them over the fruit before covering it with batter, so they appear on the fruit surface after turning out. Do not put them on the batter surface. Fold zest, spices or vanilla into the batter and gently spread it over the arranged fruit without moving the fruit. Bake as instructed.
  7. Bake on the middle rack for 40–53 minutes. Check the cake, not a piece of fruit, with a skewer: it should come out without wet batter. The center should feel set. If the top darkens early, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.
  8. Rest for 10 minutes, loosen the sides with a blunt knife, place a serving plate over the tin and carefully invert using oven gloves. Lift the tin and peel off the paper. Cool for 45 minutes. Do not leave it in the tin until cold, or the fruit may stick.

Serving and slicing

Cut into 10 portions after the required cooling or chilling. A clean knife gives a clearer cut; wipe it between portions. Serve as it is so the listed flavors remain distinct. Extra sauces, decorations and substitutions are not included in the measured recipe.

Storage

Once cool, store covered in the refrigerator at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Refrigerate cream, cheesecake and fruit cakes promptly; do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not cover hot cake, which traps condensation. Cream cakes should remain chilled until serving.

Summary

Cut into 10 portions after the required cooling or chilling. A clean knife gives a clearer cut; wipe it between portions. Serve as it is so the listed flavors remain distinct. Extra sauces, decorations and substitutions are not included in the measured recipe.

Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries
Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries

FAQs

Which pan should I use?

24 cm round cake tin

Weigh ingredients rather than packing flour into a cup. Keep flour, fat and liquid quantities unchanged on the first attempt: extra fruit or flour changes the texture. Prepare the listed pan; a much smaller tin can overflow and a wider one changes baking time. Keep the flavor additions separate until the instructed stage.

Does the timing include cooling?

Preparation: 25 min. Cooking: about 45 min.

The displayed preparation and cooking times exclude rising, cooling and refrigeration. Allow the full waiting times in the instructions before serving.

How should I store the cake?

Once cool, store covered in the refrigerator at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Refrigerate cream, cheesecake and fruit cakes promptly; do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not cover hot cake, which traps condensation. Cream cakes should remain chilled until serving.

Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries

Prep time:
25 min
Cook time:
45 min
Total time:
70 min
Servings:
10
Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries
Print it Pin it Send it

Upside-down fruit cake with apricots and almonds — cranberries. Prepare the ingredients before mixing, then use the method below to keep the texture tender and the flavors evenly distributed. The cut face shows the texture to look for when the cake has cooled.

Ingredients

  • Base

  • Cake batter

  • Flavor ingredients

Instructions

1.

1. Step 1: Heat the oven to 175°C (345°F), conventional heat. Line the base of 24 cm round cake tin with baking parchment and lightly grease the sides.

2.

2. Step 2: Wash the fruit and dry it thoroughly. Cut apples and pears into thin slices, stone fruit into small wedges; leave berries whole. Weigh the fruit after peeling, coring or pitting. Drain canned pineapple thoroughly. Keep zest, spices and nuts separate from the fruit.

3.

3. Step 3: Melt the 40 g butter for the base and spread it over the lined bottom. Sprinkle the 60 g brown sugar evenly, then arrange the prepared fruit in one close layer. This is a buttery sugar base; there is no separate hot caramel to make.

4.

4. Step 4: Beat the softened butter and sugar for 3 minutes until paler and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping the bowl. Use the amounts from the cake batter group, not the topping.

5.

5. Step 5: Mix the flour, baking powder and salt separately. Stir into the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the listed milk or yogurt. Stop as soon as the flour disappears; do not beat the finished batter.

6.

6. Step 6: Divide the additional nuts, dried fruit, coconut or chocolate into two equal portions. Scatter one half over the fruit before covering it with batter; fold the other half into the batter. The baked cake will have these additions on its fruit surface and inside its crumb. If almonds are listed, scatter them over the fruit before covering it with batter, so they appear on the fruit surface after turning out. Do not put them on the batter surface. Fold zest, spices or vanilla into the batter and gently spread it over the arranged fruit without moving the fruit. Bake as instructed.

7.

7. Step 7: Bake on the middle rack for 40–53 minutes. Check the cake, not a piece of fruit, with a skewer: it should come out without wet batter. The center should feel set. If the top darkens early, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.

8.

8. Step 8: Rest for 10 minutes, loosen the sides with a blunt knife, place a serving plate over the tin and carefully invert using oven gloves. Lift the tin and peel off the paper. Cool for 45 minutes. Do not leave it in the tin until cold, or the fruit may stick.

Good to know

  1. The displayed preparation and cooking times exclude rising, cooling and refrigeration. Allow the full waiting times in the instructions before serving.
  2. Once cool, store covered in the refrigerator at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Refrigerate cream, cheesecake and fruit cakes promptly; do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not cover hot cake, which traps condensation. Cream cakes should remain chilled until serving.

Equipment

  • Kitchen scales, mixing bowls, spatula, whisk and 24 cm round cake tin.

Allergens

Always check labels if you have allergies.
  • Contains milk and wheat/gluten. Check biscuit and chocolate labels for additional allergens. Contains eggs. Contains tree nuts.