how easy is that?

this sounded like such a great treat for the holiday season!  but it didn't turn out to be so easy.
i went to the grocery store with my list of ingredients and as i was on my way home, i remembered that i hadn't gotten the cranberries, so i turned around and went back to the store.  i put together all of the ingredients, following the recipe exactly.  the last thing to add to the batter was flour.....and when i looked in the pantry, the bag was not flour, but sugar!!  
what to do????  it was cold and rainy outside and i really didn't want to go back out.  i had some pancake mix, so i looked on the box and it was mostly flour.  i substituted the pancake mix and tasted the batter....it was delicious and sweet.
but when it started baking, it just kept overflowing. and overflowing.  
i let it cool and cut into it.....mush, with a crunchy hard cookie-like shell.  not what it was supposed to look like.
but it was delicious!!! 
i will try this recipe again, but use regular flour next time. 


easy cranberry & apple cake (an ina garten recipe) 
Serves 6 to 8
 
12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
11⁄8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
 
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
 
Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
 
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
 
Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1⁄8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.