Slow Cooker Upside-Down Cranberry Cake

When I first made a cake in the slow cooker, I was a bit skeptical. Really? How can a cake fully bake in the slow cooker without burning or coming out under-baked in the center? Will it really taste as good as the oven-baked variety? 

Turns out, all my skepticism was for naught, because baking a cake in the slow cooker not only is possible, but it’s also super easy and super delicious! One of my favorite cakes to make is this Slow Cooker Upside-Down Cranberry Cake. It’s a little sweet and a little tart, and the best part (well, besides eating it, that is) is it saves space in my oven for the savory stuff when I’m preparing a meal for a holiday gathering or party. 

To make the cake, you’ll need Betty Crocker cake mix, some oil, eggs, cranberry juice (for extra cranberry flavor) or water, brown sugar, butter and fresh or frozen and thawed cranberries.

Combine the butter and brown sugar and spread it evenly in the bottom of a foil-lined, greased slow cooker. Top the mixture with an even layer of cranberries

Prepare the cake mix and pour the batter evenly over the top of the cranberries. Then, cover it, turn the heat to “high” and leave it alone for a few hours. You’re already halfway done!

When the cake is done (a clean toothpick inserted in the center will indicate this), transfer the cake in the ceramic base to a cooling rack to cool 10 minutes. You don’t want to flip the cake right away or you’ll have a mess on your hands; too long, and the topping will stick to the foil, not the cake.

Once 10 minutes are up, carefully remove the cake using the foil as handles, then place an inverted serving plate on top of the cake. Quickly and carefully, flip the cake onto the plate and remove the foil.

Look at that! A perfectly baked upside-down cake, slow-cooker style.