Description
This Orange Upside Down Cake is a vibrant, moist dessert featuring a caramelized layer of fresh oranges atop a tender, fluffy cake. Using a mix of blood oranges and cara cara or navel oranges adds a beautiful color contrast and fresh citrus flavor, perfectly balanced by a buttery caramel base. Baked to golden perfection, this cake offers a delightful twist on a classic upside down cake that’s sure to impress at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Caramel Layer
- 4 oranges (mix of blood orange and cara cara or navel)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (cubed)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed, about half a lemon)
Cake Batter
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 9 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
- 2 blood oranges (zested) or 1 regular orange zest
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk
Instructions
- Prepare the Oranges: Slice off the rind and thin skin from the oranges to expose the pulp. Either cut out supremes by slicing the pulp from the pith in wedges or slice the oranges into rounds for a quicker method. Set aside.
- Prepare the Pan and Preheat Oven: Spray a 9-inch round pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 325°F if using convection (fan) or 350°F if using conventional heat (no fan).
- Make the Caramel Base: In a pot, melt 3 tablespoons of cubed unsalted butter. Add ¾ cup granulated sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cook the mixture until it boils and the sugar dissolves completely and begins to caramelize. Immediately pour the caramel evenly into the prepared cake pan, spreading it out. Arrange the prepared orange slices artfully on top of the caramel.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, sift together 2 cups cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter, Sugar, and Zest: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream 9 ½ tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, and the zest of 2 blood oranges (or 1 regular orange) until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition to ensure complete incorporation. Add 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract with the last egg and mix until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternately add the sifted dry ingredients and 1 cup low fat buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold the last few additions gently with a spatula to avoid over mixing.
- Assemble the Cake: Pour the cake batter over the arranged orange slices and caramel in the prepared pan. Spread the batter evenly using an offset spatula.
- Bake: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is puffed, golden brown on top, and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Release the Cake: While the cake is still warm, run a butter knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides.
- Cool and Invert: After allowing the cake to cool for 15 minutes, carefully invert it onto a rimmed baking sheet or cooling rack to catch any dripping caramel. If the caramel drips too much or hardens too soon, collect it and serve over the cake as a sauce.
Notes
- Using a mix of blood oranges and cara cara or navel oranges gives the cake a beautiful color contrast and depth of flavor.
- If you prefer a quicker method for preparing the oranges, slicing them into rounds is perfectly fine and less time consuming.
- Be careful when inverting the cake to avoid losing too much caramel sauce; let it cool just enough to set but not harden.
- This cake can be served warm or at room temperature and pairs beautifully with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- You can substitute light brown sugar with dark brown sugar for a richer caramel flavor if desired.
- Use fresh lemons for the lemon juice to enhance the citrusy brightness of the caramel.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
