Cranberry & Almond Upside Down Cakes

This evening the garland was finally hung, trimmed with red winter berries and twinkling lights around its nimble limbs. I wrapped our first present and listened to Amy Grant's Home For Christmas a thousand times over. And for an extra treat to ring in this fir scented season I made a simple cake boasting December's most glorified fruit, the cranberry. 

These miniature cakes are as simple as making muffins because they are in fact upside down muffins. Profound, I know. If you are the fancy type this recipe would work perfectly in a round or bundt cake pan. For me, a humble muffin tin will do.

Sweet and slightly tart, these little gems are laced with cinnamon, all spice, orange and lemon zest, creating a myriad of flavors. Top with a dollop of your favorite whipped embellishment and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a festive treat. 

Now that the hubbub of work has slowed I am looking forward to fully enjoying these fleeting advent days. Oh how I wish I could slow the time, encapsulate each day and loosen the hands of my clock. But I know no such thing can be done. Instead I must thresh out the frivolous diversions of my day and fill my time intentionally and purposefully. Starting now.

I wish you all a wonderful week filled with joy and expectancy of all the good things to come! And may you too find your days refined to a slower pace, as if time itself were unhurried, leisurely changing from one minute to the next. Tis the most wonderful time of the year, may we all enjoy it to the fullest!

Cranberry and Almond Upside Down Cakes (makes 8)

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground all spice
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup ghee, melted (or oil of our choice)
• 1/2 cup honey

For the cranberry layer:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 TBSP freshly grated orange zest
• 1 TBSP freshley grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350F and grease your muffin tin. 

Combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and all spice in a bowl. In a seperate bowl combine eggs, ghee/oil and honey. 

Combine wet and dry ingredients and set aside.

Toss cranberries with orange zest, lemon zest and honey. Arrange mixture into a single layer at the bottom of each muffin cup.

Top with cake batter and cover evenly. 

Place pan into oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and fully cooked. If your cakes get too brown but need to cook another minute or two place a sheet of foil on top and continue cooking. 

Enjoy!