This one's more seasonal but a big favorite. This cake is one of several reasons I keep cranberries in the freezer year round. The recipe came from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. It's so easy, tasty and always pretty. The photo is from one I made several years ago.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Sweetened whipped cream is perfect with this slightly spicy dessert. The topping is made by baking cranberries in a layer over sugar and spices in the bottom of the pan. As the cake bakes, the sugar caramelizes, forming a rich syrup.

8 T. butter, room temp.
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 3/4 cups fresh cranberries (fresh or frozen - see Note below)
1 egg, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 with rack in center (be sure to preheat for at least 20 minutes). Rub bottom and sides of a an 8-inch round cake pan with 2 T. of the butter.

In small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle mixture evenly over bottom of pan. Spread cranberries in a single layer on top.

With electric mixer, cream remaining 6 T. butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix until well combined. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.

Spoon batter over cranberries in pan and smooth top. Place pan on baking sheet; bake cake until toothpick in center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 20-25 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake several times; invert onto rimmed platter and tap bottom of pan firmly with fingertips. If any berries remain in the pan, just place them on top of cake.

Note: If using frozen berries, the baking time might be just a bit longer...keep a close watch.

Thanks, chloebud!

You might try substituting them in aTorta Di Mele Al Burro

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 Apples (Golden Delicious) peeled, cored, and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk (3 whole eggs)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (2 tsp Calvados)
1 cup granulated sugar (raw granulated sugar)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch round cake pan. In a large frying pan over low heat, melt the butter. Pour 6 tablespoons of it into a small bowl or cup and set aside.

Add the apple slices to the butter remaining in the frying pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a small bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl beat the whole eggs and egg yolk until blended. Add the 6 tablespoons melted butter, the vanilla, the granulated sugar, and the lemon zest. Stir in the flour mixture and the apples. Spoon into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.

Bake until the cake is browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert the cake onto a plate and lift off the pan, then invert the cake again onto the rack and let cool completely.

Just before serving place confectioners sugar in a small sieve and dust the top of the cake.

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You could also freeze the whole, unpeeled, and defrost them later, although this may affect the texture.

Another idea is to make ice cream with them. To do this, peel them and remove the seeds and put into a blender or food processor (whichever fits better) and add an equal amount of cream or half and half plus sugar to taste. Then freeze in an ice cream machine - I have one with a compressor, which makes it very easy for me to make many batches. If the fruit tastes good as a smoothie, it will taste good as ice cream, but do not use yogurt, as this will not freeze the same way as cream. I do this when I have a lot of cherimoya, and it does not need much sugar - I think I use Equal or Spenda instead anyway, which is easier to dissolve. If you have problems getting sugar to dissolve in the cream, you may have to heat it a bit and then cool it down before freezing it.

Oh, I'm glad I opened your thread! Both recipes look very good to eat, though I don't think I've had baked sapodilla, and I can't even remember what they taste like. I was trying to think why I have a negative reaction to upside down cake, and realized that the mid-century style pineapple or pear versions were very damp and where cake is usually stable (excepting cream fillings and the like), upside down cake was a mold magnet. My childhood self did not believe you could or should cut around the mold. :)

Peaches can also be very good for upside down cake. I've always thought upside down cakes are best served warm, although room temp certainly doesn't stop me. :-)

I don't remember having sapodilla either, but I think I must have had something similar in Mexico, as I tried all the fruits I could find there.

I have quite a few white sapote fruit on my tree this year (the first year it's made fruit in the 8 years I've had it), and they also must be consumed within a couple of days - much like figs. I also do not know what they taste like either, but I'm sure I can find a way to use them. If I have too many at once, I will probably make them into a sorbet.

I haven't made upside down cake in many years, but here's the recipe I always used - adapted from the Settlement Cookbook, I think:

Upside-Down Cake

1 1/2 C pineapple

2 T butter

2 T sugar

___________

1 1/2 C flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2-3/4 C sugar

1/4 tsp salt

pinch nutmeg

1/3 C oil or melted butter - or both

1 C mashed banana or applesauce

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 C chopped nuts - optional

Preheat oven - 350F

Melt butter in skillet or pyrex baking dish, add sugar, distribute evenly.Arrange pineapple evenly in skillet or pan over mixture.

Blend dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.Blend wet ingredients in a separate bowl.Add wet ingr. to dry & mix well.Pour/spread batter evenly over fruit in skillet.

Bake 30-40- minutes until done.

Or you might try a cobbler. I have a good one from epicurious.com that works with various fruits:

One Cup Peach Cobbler

In this cobbler recipe, the batter puffs up around the fruit, creating a cakey top and a gooey base. YIELD: 8 servings ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour, 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lb. peaches, pitted, cut into 1/2"-thick wedges 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar, divided

3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter - I lowered that to 6 Tbs.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ⁄ tsp. baking powder
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (for serving; optional)

PREPARATION

Toss peaches, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until saucy, about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place butter in a 13x9" glass or ceramic baking dish and heat in oven until melted, 8–10 minutes. Remove pan from oven.

Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking powder, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt in another large bowl. Add milk and vanilla and whisk until batter is smooth with no lumps. Pour evenly over melted butter in baking dish (do not mix). Spoon fruit mixture and 3 Tbsp. of the accumulated juices evenly over batter.

Bake cobbler, rotating pan halfway through, until batter is puffed and lightly golden across the surface and browned around the edges, 40–45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/southern-one-cup-peach-cobbler

1/28/16/2018 Southern "One-Cup" Peach Cobbler recipe | Epicurious.com

I've never even heard of it, but have not traveled to tropical places, nor does tropical fruit grow around here. But now that I've read about it, going to have to find me one to try. Do Latin or Mexican food markets likely carry them? Is this their season or are they ripening year round?

Wow, thanks, everyone! Lars and carol_b, those recipes sound great.

Sapodilla tastes pretty much like a pear that's been dipped in brown sugar with a dash of brandy added. The flesh has a bit of the grainy texture of a pear, but it's much softer. It freezes well, but you just scoop the pulp out and freeze that, not the whole fruit. Most people eat the raw fruit by slicing it in half, picking out the three or four big seeds and then eating it with a spoon.

Olychick, it may be too late now, although the season varies depending on where you are. I think in India it's a fall fruit, but here the season is just about over for the year. Locally it fruits from roughly December through June, although the height of the season is really from February through May. It's one of my very favorite fruits. It used to grow wild all over S FL. When I was looking for houses in West Palm Beach, all the older houses always had a mango tree and a sapodilla.

Very jealous of your white sapote, Lars. Around here we get black sapote everywhere but not many people grow the white. I suspect because it's considered poisonous throughout in some cultures. I was a bit taken aback to see a girl in CA eating the skin in a youtube video a while ago. Did you know they did research on using an extract from the seeds as a sleeping drug? It worked very well and had no side effects, but we're not so interested these days in solutions that don't come from a chemical laboratory.

ETA I forgot to say that you might find sapidilla in an Indian or West Indian market when it's in season, Olychick. In India they call it Chikoo, and the Jamaicans call it Naseberry. It has a lot of different names in S America, but if your Latin grocery has it I would guess it may be called Sapote, not to be confused with Mamey Sapote, White Sapote, or Black Sapote.

FWIW, when I made the cobbler with ripe, sweet pears and it seemed a bit bland - I might not have used enough lemon (or lime) juice.

With strawberries, it was incredible!

But that cobbler really is fantastic - it's butterscotch-y, gooey and rich.

Made this one a few months back...it was amazing! Think Blueberries would be a great sub for the cranberries.

https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/cranberry-streusel-upside-down-cake

I think blueberries would work ncely, too. Might need/want to adjust the sugar in the topping since blueberries are sweeter.

Blueberries and peaches can be another tasty combination. Found this online...

ETA - chase_gw, I enjoy Fine Cooking. Been a subscriber for years.

Thanks, chase and carol_b. Chase, the sounds really good but i suspect it needs a fruit with some tanginess to it, which sapodilla definitely lacks. I asked a couple of firends with tress how they would describe the flavor and one said it's like salted caramel ice cream and tho other that his have a maple sugar flavor.

Chloebud, that photo looks absolutely luscious!

Ann_T’s blueberry upside down cake is fantastic! I omit the cinnamon because it is not one of my favorite spices, although I like it with apples. http://www.thibeaultstable.com/2009/08/blueberry-upside-down-cake.html

Thanks, bbstx! That looks great.

This is one of my favorites, pear upside down cake which I cut out of an old "Oprah" magazine many years ago. I think this linked recipe is it. Might work for the sapodillas. http://www.oprah.com/food/pear-upside-down-cake

Looks like another good one, pinkmountain!

That does look good, l pinkmountain. Thanks!

The Torta Di Mele Al Burro recipe posted above from Lars is the exact same one I use, which I got from Ann T. Until I hear differently from Ann T, I'm citing *her* as the source for this delicious cake! :O)

Thanks, Sooz, for letting me know where the Torta Di Miele comes from.

Bragu, I'm sure that's very nice but I haven't seen rhubarb in the stores here in years. Maybe one week a year when we did use to get it.

Florida fruit that may be available in June:

BANANA
BARBADOS CHERRY (Acerola)

BLACKBERRY
CAPULIN (Jam Fruit)
CASHEW
CHERIMOYA (rare, grows badly here, most people grow sugar apple or atemoya instead)
CHERRY OF THE RIO GRANDE

COCONUT
CUSTARD APPLE
DOWNY MYRTLE

GRUMICHAMA
JAMBIAN (Java-Plum)
JACOTE (Mombin)
KARANDA
KEI-APPLE (Umkokolo)

LINGARO
LYCHEE
MANGO
NECTARINE
ORANGE
PEACHES
PINEAPPLE
PITOMBA
RAMONTCHIA (Governor’s Plum)

RASPBERRY (mostly malaysian types)
ROSE-APPLE
SAPODILLA
SAPOTE, MAMEY
SAPOTE, WHITE
SOURSOP
SURINAM CHERRY (Pitanga)

TAMARIND

So it's kind of different from most of North America. Oh, and I found a few chickasaw plums the other day, although they aren't listed.

Writersblock, I haven't had rhubarb. My grandmother cooked it for my grandfather, but she died before she passed on many recipes. My mother didn't cook. She couldn't boil water. If you need rhubarb, Publix sells it frozen here. Since Florida is Publix's home state, you should find it there. I does sound like it is the tart you need with your fruit. My Pineapple Upside Down cake is in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It is the one that makes one single 9" layer.

http://www.publix.com/pd/dole-rhubarb-sliced/RIO-PCI-309330

If you're near a Sprouts market, I've seen frozen rhubarb there, too.

Yes, thanks. It's true that I could drive an hour to a big urban Publix and find frozen rhubarb, maybe (our local store never has it), but even though I like it, it seems very silly when I'm surrounded by magnificent tropical fruits this time of year. Mango season is just starting, too, and if you've only had those sad little Tommy Atkins and Ataulfo mangos that stores sell, you've never tasted a mango.

Sprouts has been going to come here since before the 2009 crash but never actually does. I've seen the Sprouts Coming Soon sign on about four different properties in that time.

writersblock, ugh...too bad about Sprouts. I really like them for certain things.

Personally, I would just use pineapple, canned, but I thought you wanted it. I have found that my baby Publix here in North Alabama, will order anything I want, as long as it is in the system. It may take a week or so to get here, but they order it to the store and call me when it comes in. Just talk to the service desk. There is no need whatsoever to drive to get anything Publix carries.

Thanks, tigereye. Actually this post began about something to use up sapodillas, but I have to admit that the level in the basket is sinking fast since everyone who sees them asks for one.

Also, you probably live in a more competitive area for grocery stores. Yes, what you describe is the traditional Publix policy, but our local store now just always says that it's not in the warehouse and they can't get it, even when a store across town always has what you're requesting. Since Mr. Publix died, Publix in areas where they have little competition is not at all like it is elsewhere or used to be here, alas.

Kinda like Walmart here. If you can't spit from one Walmart to the next, they build a new one. So all of them are pulling sales from another and no one cares to do anything extra. Yes, inside a 5 mile radius, I have 4 Walmart, two Krogers, three Publix, two Aldi. one Whole Foods, and a Fresh market. And to buy what I want, I have to hit all of them except Aldi and Fresh Market. LOL.

And Amazon is ruining Whole Foods...

Writersblock that's some list! I'm well read, but I haven't even heard of at least a third of what you had there (and not counting different kinds of the same fruit). My one time in Florida was during a particularly time just before and after New Year's. I'm told that it wasn't really the Florida experience.

So you won't be making the cake after all? Pity. I would have liked to know how it turned out...

Macadamia nuts can be grown here as well. My tree has fruits for the first time.

Carolb, are your macadamia nuts ripe in June? I've always thought of them as a late summer crop. Interesting. BTW, how do you plan to force them open? Do you have one of those special macadamia nut openers?

Plllog, yeah, there's a lot of stuff down here that isn't well known in most of the US, and that list was only what's available for sale in June, not including the year-round stuff like mulberry, banana, papaya, etc,,, or the things that fruit and aren't sold because they're too delicate like muntigia calabura (Jamaican Cherry). And then there are the various medicinal fruits only available from specialty shops. When I look at the lists from the bigger nurseries I have to look up a lot of them, too.