Cranberry Duff Bread (New England)

To make this Northeastern interpretation of an old-fashioned upside-down cake, cranberries and toasted pecans are topped with buttery batter, and then baked and inverted. The cranberries soften in the oven but the pecans stay crunchy, lending a textural flourish.

½ cup butter, (1 stick), softened
1½ cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup + ½ cup sugar
1 large egg
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
¼ tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Butter bottom and halfway up sides of an 8" square glass baking dish using 2 Tbsp. butter.

Spread cranberries evenly over bottom of dish. Sprinkle pecans on top, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar, set aside.

Melt remaining 6 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, set aside. Put egg and the remaining ½ cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, gradually beat in flour, and then salt. Pour in melted butter in a slow, steady stream, beating until smooth.

Slowly pour batter into pan to cover cranberries.

Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge to loosen, and invert to unmold onto a serving platter.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings.