Skip the food part, this Blood Orange Upside Down Cake may be the coolest recipe I’ve ever had the opportunity to photograph. This cake is absolutely stunning once you flip it over and let if fall right out! In addition to it looking amazing it is dang tasty and loaded with citrusy orange flavor that is to absolutely die for!
I used a combination of almond, cornmeal and all-purpose flour which gave it a smooth yet grainy texture with just the right amount of denseness.
It’s a simple cake batter procedure which involves creaming sugar and butter, adding eggs and then adding in the dry. The part that requires a little more focus is around slicing the oranges really thin and then lining a cake pan with parchment, which in the end really isn’t that difficult so please don’t feel intimated by this Blood Orange Upside Down Cake, because it really is quite simple.
Blood oranges are in season from December to May so there is quite a bit of time to whip up this cake. In fact since Christmas is right around the corner maybe you should knock this bad boy out to impress your family?! Just sayin :-).
Definitely let this cake sit out at room temperature because at that temp all of the flavors are as they should be. If you place it in the refrigerator the cake will seem dry because the butter from the cake will tighten up and it just won’t be as delicious.
Blood Orange Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Bob’s Red Mill® almond flour
- 1 cup of Bob’s Red Mill® corn meal
- 1 cup of Bob’s Red Mill® all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 1/3 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cup of sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 tablespoons of heavy cream
- zest of 2 blood oranges
- 3 thinly sliced blood oranges
- simple syrup – equal parts water and sugar boiled together and chilled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven too 350°.
- In a large bowl mix together the almond flour, corn meal, all-purpose flour and baking powder until combined and set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a standing mixer on high speed with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
- Next, add in 1 egg at time until mixed in and then add in the heavy cream and orange zest.
- Finish by adding in the dry ingredients on low speed until mixed in. Set aside.
- Next line a 4” deep cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom and the sides. Use butter to help make the parchment stick.
- Layer on the thinly sliced blood oranges on the bottom of the pan and slightly coming up around the sides and brush them with simply syrup.
- Next, pour in the cake batter and level it to make it flat.
- Bake in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until the cake is lightly browned and the center is firm.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature before turning it upside down and serving.
- Brush the oranges and cake again with simply syrup before serving.
Nutrition
Margriet says
Can I use gluten free all purpose flour ?
Chef Billy Parisi says
Yes!! A 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour sub would be fine.
Jerrika says
At what temperature do you bake this at?
Chef Billy Parisi says
350°
A. Eaton says
It is stunningly gorgeous. Just wondering how “toothy” the orange peel is?
Chef Billy Parisi says
It definitely can be. I recommend removing the outside oranges of the cake before consuming.
Happy Valley Chow says
Man, your stuff looks so freaking good! Great job as usual, jealous of your skills!
Chef Billy Parisi says
thanks so much!!