Have cake, will travel — but take care

You plan to travel. You plan to travel with cake. Why not? It’s good company, and unlikely to snag the window seat.

First, you contact the Transportation Security Administration. These days, transportation security is administered with rigor, and you don’t fancy your fancy cake getting smashed — or snatched — in the process.

Indeed, given its buttery vanilla crumb and showy cranberry crown, you fear some corrupt character with a gun asking it to step aside for closer inspection. Much. Closer. Inspection.

Edible companions travel under seemingly capricious rules. Jell-O, cranberry sauce, gravy and maple syrup: no. Cake: yes. Subject to additional screening. The authorities must have their reasons, but try telling that to the creamy dip in need of a vacation.

You print out the guidelines, and keep them handy, along with photo ID and boarding pass. You and your cake pass inspection. Kicking off the holiday early, silently you give thanks.

Cranberry Cake

Prep: 20 minutes. Bake: 40 minutes. Makes: 8 servings

Recipe adapted from my friend Jennifer’s famous fruit-down version. Hers is adapted from Ina Garten.

12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 stick ( 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup flour

Stir together cranberries, brown sugar, juice, zest and cinnamon. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand-held electric beater), beat eggs on high speed until pale, about 2 minutes. Cascade in granulated sugar; beat, 1 minute.

Switch to medium; beat in butter, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Sprinkle in flour. Mix on low, just until combined.

Butter a 9-inch cake pan (standard, not springform). Scrape in cranberry mixture. Cover with cake batter. Slide into a 350-degree oven; bake until fruit bubbles at the edges and a toothpick poked in the cake portion comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Cool on a rack, 5 minutes. Invert a serving plate onto cake pan. Slip on oven mitts. Hold plate and pan firmly together and flip so that plate holds cake, fruit side up. Give the pan a sharp rap to loosen any sluggish berries. Lift off pan. Serve warm or room temperature.