Nantucket Cranberry Pie Recipe
Nantucket cranberry pie is neither a pie, nor is it from Nantucket. It could be more accurately described as a cranberry upside down cake, baked with a layer of tart cranberries and nuts on the bottom and a simple cake batter spread over top. Its name lends it an old-fashioned charm, but the first known published recipe didn’t appear until 1993. Even so, it has since gained a small but devoted holiday following thanks to its festive cranberry filling, hint of warm spice, and rustic presentation. Enjoy it warm with a scoop of ice cream, or savor a slice on its own with a hot cup of coffee on a cold winter’s day.
Table of Contents
What is Nantucket Cranberry Pie?
Despite its name, Nantucket cranberry pie is really a cake that is best described as a cranberry upside-down cake. A mixture of cranberries and walnuts is pressed into the bottom of an 8–9 inch cake pan, a 10-inch pie plate, or a 9-inch springform pan. A lightly spiced almond cake batter is then spread on top. As it bakes, the cranberries soften into a jammy cranberry sauce and the cake develops a delicate crackly top. The finished dessert is rustic, festive, and easy to make.
Where Does Nantucket Cranberry Pie Come From?
While the name might suggest that Nantucket cranberry pie is from Nantucket island, that doesn’t seem to be the case. More likely, it was given the name because Nantucket Island has been a major grower of cranberries in the US since 1857. Cranberries have long been tied to New England holiday traditions because of this.
The first known published Nantucket cranberry pie recipe appeared in the November 1992 issue of Gourmet magazine, written by acclaimed novelist and food writer Laurie Colwin. The recipe was published shortly after she passed, giving it a bittersweet significance. Colwin was known for her warm, approachable style that made readers feel like friends at her table. Her column and recipes were later collected in two volumes: Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen, and More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen. In 2012, she was inducted into the Cookbook Hall of Fame by the James Beard Foundation.
Nantucket cranberry pie is a bit of the reverse of many pies I write about. Instead of being a historic dessert with deep roots and a story, it seems to have been a single family’s holiday tradition that was unexpectedly vaulted into the spotlight. Colwin herself searched for its origins when she first published the recipe, but she couldn’t trace it any further than the family friend she got the recipe from. In her column, Colwin wrote:
“…she got the recipe from her mother, who can no longer remember where it originally came from. It is now a staple in their family, and the buck stops there.”
Whatever its true mysterious history may be, Nantucket cranberry pie has quickly circulated the web and earned its place as an easy, delicious holiday dessert. Its simplicity and festive look and flavor have helped it become a modern classic with an old-fashioned feel.
What is an Upside-Down Cake?
An upside-down cake generally refers to a cake that is baked with its toppings layered in the bottom of the pan, under the cake batter. The most famous example is a retro pineapple upside-down cake, topped with pineapple rings and bright maraschino cherries. Once baked and cooled, the cake is inverted out of the pan so that the fruit and syrupy topping become a glossy, decorative top on the cake. This simple technique turns a straightforward cake into something that feels a little more special without painstaking practice.
Nantucket cranberry pie is similar. A layer of cranberries and nuts is spread into the bottom of a cake or pie pan, then covered with a lightly spiced almond cake batter, and then baked. Some versions of the recipes flip the cake before serving, so that the cranberries are showcased on top. Other recipes don’t flip the cake. I prefer to serve mine “right-side-up.” The cake batter for this recipe bakes into a beautiful, slightly shimmery top, while the cranberries create a rich, red ombre effect at the base. The combination gives the cake a rustic homemade look.
Best Pans for Baking Nantucket Cranberry Pie
This recipe is flexible when it comes to bakeware. You have several options depending on what you already own and your preferences.
If you want to stay true to the name of the dish and bake it in a pie dish, I recommend a 10-inch glass pie plate. This is slightly larger than the more common 9-inch pie tins in the US. I recommend glass so that the contrast of the deep red layer of cranberries can be seen at the bottom of the dish when you serve the cake.
A springform pan makes serving especially simple. Once the cake has cooled, just run an offset spatula around the edge, unclip the ring, and lift it off. You can move the cake onto a serving platter without worrying about too much maneuvering and flipping. This option gives you a clean presentation with very little effort.
Standard cake pans work perfectly well for Nantucket cranberry pie, and is what I usually use. Be sure to grease the sides and line the bottom with parchment for smooth removal of the cake after baking. After cooling the cake, run an offset spatula around the edges, flip the cake out onto a cake board, peel away the parchment, then flip it again so the cake sits right-side-up. Using two appropriately sized (8- or 9-inch depending on which size cake pan you used) cake boards make this process easier.
Step-by-Step Nantucket Cranberry Pie Recipe:
Cranberry Layer:
Ingredients
- 12oz cranberries, chopped
- 2oz walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 1t orange zest (½ orange)
- ½ cup sugar
Cake Batter:
Ingredients
- 1c sugar
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- ½ t almond extract
- 2 eggs
- ¼ t salt
- 1/8t cloves
- 1c flour
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your chosen baking dish (see above).
2.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the melted butter, almond extract, and 1 cup of sugar. Mix on medium speed until well blended.
3.
With the mixer continuing to run on medium speed, add the 2 eggs, one at a time.
4.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cloves, and salt.
5.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined. Set the batter aside.
6.
In another bowl, toss together the cranberries, walnuts, orange zest, and ½ cup sugar until evenly coated.
7.
Press the cranberry mixture into the bottom of your prepared cake pan or pie plate.
8.
Pour the cake batter over the cranberry mixture, and spread evenly using an offset spatula.
9.
Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10.
Let cool before slicing and serving.
How to Serve Nantucket Cranberry Pie:
Nantucket cranberry pie can easily stand on its own. Sliced plain, it has a coffee-cake like quality that makes it delicious at a holiday brunch or alongside an afternoon cup of coffee or tea. If you want to dress it up for a more festive presentation, here are a few ways to turn it into a show-stopping centerpiece for a holiday dinner dessert.
Lightly Spiced Whipped Cream
Freshly whipped cream flavored with a hint of nutmeg and/or cinnamon pairs beautifully with the cranberry and almond flavors. Add just a bit, a pinch of spice per cup of cream, for a light flavor. You can keep it simple with a dollop on each slice, or pipe it decoratively on top of the cake for an elegant finish.
Crème Fraîche
Crème Fraîche adds a tangy note that enhances the cranberry layer and emphasizes the coffee-cake feel of this dessert. It is a simple, sophisticated pairing that works especially well for a fancy brunch.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Sweet white chocolate contrasts nicely with the tart cranberries. A whipped white chocolate ganache gives you the texture and piping ability of a buttercream but with a lighter flavor so it doesn’t overpower the cake.
Use a 3:1 ratio of white chocolate to cream for the best consistency. Chop 3 ounces of white chocolate for every 1 ounce of cream. (9-12 ounces of chocolate with 3-4 ounces of cream works well for decorating this cake). Bring the cream to a simmer, then whisk into the chopped white chocolate until smooth. Chill the white chocolate ganache until firm, then whip in a stand mixer until fluffy. Pipe as you would buttercream for an intricate, frosting-like decoration.
Pro Baking Tips:
Foolproof Method for Removing a Cake From a Pan Without Sticking
Few things are more frustrating than putting time and effort into a cake only to have it stick to the pan and break apart at the very end. This method, which I use regularly as a professional baker, has given me consistent results and makes removing a cake from a pan much less stressful.
Tools You’ll Need:
- Permanent marker or pencil
- Scissors
- 2 cake boards the same size as your cake pan
- Softened butter or spray oil
Step 1.
Make a parchment paper circle.
Place a sheet of parchment under your cake pan. Trace around the bottom of the pan with a Sharpie or pencil, then cut just inside the line so the circle will fit snugly. Test it in the bottom of your pan and trim if needed.
Step 2.
Prepare your cake pan.
Grease the sides and bottom of the pan with spray oil or softened butter. Press the parchment circle firmly into the greased bottom.
Step 3.
Bake and cool your cake.
Fill your prepared pan with batter and bake as directed. Allow the cake to cool completely to room temperature, or refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Chilling helps firm up the cake, making it less likely to fall apart when released.
Step 4.
Release the sides of the cake.
Run a small offset spatula around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Hold the spatula backward against the pan to reduce the risk of accidentally shaving into the side of the cake.
Step 5.
Flip the cake out of the pan.
Place one cake board on top of the cake pan. Flip the pan and board upside down onto the counter. Give the pan a gentle tap to help the cake drop onto the board.
Step 6.
Remove the cake pan and parchment paper.
Once you feel the cake drop down onto the cake board, lift the cake pan away to reveal your cake. Carefully peel the parchment from the bottom of the cake. At this stage you can serve the cake as an upside-down cake, frost it as a layer cake, or move on to step 7 if you want it right side up.
Step 7.
Flip the cake right-side-up.
Place your second cake board over the bottom of the cake. Flip once more, then remove the first board. Your cake is now ready to decorate, slice, and serve.
Baking this recipe? We’d love to see your version! Tag @doggone_baking in photos of your most show-stopping pumpkin pie creations.
Nantucket Cranberry Pie (Cranberry Upside-Down Cake)
Ingredients
Cranberry Layer
- 12 oz Cranberries, roughly chopped (fresh or frozen)
- 2 oz Walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 1 tsp Orange Zest (from about ½ orange)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100g)
Almond Cake Batter
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar (200g)
- ¾ cup Butter, melted (6oz)
- ½ tsp Almond Extract
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Ground Cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8–9 inch cake pan, 10 inch pie dish, or 9 inch springform pan.
- In a stand mixer on medium speed, mix the melted butter, almond extract, and 1 cup sugar together.
- With the stand mixer running, beat in eggs one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, ground cloves, and salt.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the dries to the wet mixture until combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, toss cranberries, walnuts, orange zest, and ½ cup sugar until the cranberries are evenly coated.
- Press the cranberry mixture into the bottom of your prepared cake pan.
- Evenly spread the cake batter over the cranberry mixture.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
One Comment
This cranberry pie looks so festive and delicious! I love that it’s a little different from the usual holiday desserts—definitely adding it to my baking list this season.