This Orange Upside Down Cake tastes as good as it looks. It is absolutely delicious. Refreshing and sweet in every bite. This cake takes a traditional olive oil cake with an extra kick from the citrus flavor of the oranges.
The inspiration...
I am always inspired by fresh fruit in my kitchen. I think baking with fresh ingredients is key to baking a delicious sweet treat. I was looking for something different with traditional flavors that would blow my palate's mind! This cake does all those things. If you love oranges like me, you will definitely love this cake. The oranges are caramelized at the bottom and the deliciously moist cake is a perfect combination.
I have a collection of cookbooks because I love to bake and cook. I love to use my cookbooks for inspiration. I don't like the books to waste away on my shelf so I often will try new recipes to explore new techniques and flavors. This recipe was inspired by Claire Saffitz Dessert Person's cookbook. It is a great cookbook if you are looking to learn more baking techniques. She is extremely detailed and has a full range of recipes from easy to hard. Like Claire Saffitz says everyone is a dessert person you just need to find the dessert that is for you. So try out this beautifully flavored dessert. I know it will convert anyone into a dessert person like me.
How to make this cake?
The key to this cake is patience and a little love. I took oranges and thinly sliced them on the orange size. You want to make sure you cut the orange slices very thing because you don't want to get very thick rinds. This would make it challenging to eat. You need to marinate the oranges in sugar so it will create a nice shiny and caramelized flavor on top. Furthermore, using a springform pan and parchment paper at the base is key to ensuring the cake will flip out of the pan. The rest of the cake is traditional olive oil cake mixed with fresh orange zest to bring out that orange flavor. This is a fun cake to make and tastes as bright as these pictures look.
Arranging the oranges...
This is one way to layer the oranges at the base to make a circular overlapping sequence. This will create a beautiful look for the cake after you flip it over.
A few tips:
Oranges - I used oranges in this cake because I had so much extra in my kitchen. I think any citrus fruit will work. You can use grapefruit if you prefer a less sweet cake or make the classic upside-down pineapple cake with this recipe.
Grand Mariner - this is a liquor that adds flavor to the cake however, you can leave this out or add orange juice to the cake for extra orange flavor.
Making the cake - the key to the cake batter is that you need to whip the eggs and the sugar for a while until it because pale and thick. This will add volume to the cake so don't skip this step. Be patient while the eggs and sugar whip together.
Storage - this cake tastes much better the next day so it is a great cake to make in advance. Since there is fresh fruit in the cake, it only lasts about 3 days in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Orange Upside Down Cake
Serving size: 10 people or 1 cake
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Source: Adapted from Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz
4 oranges, medium-sized
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 3/4 all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoon Grand Marnier, optional
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup olive oil
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a springform pan by spraying with oil and then lay a circle of parchment paper at the bottom. The parchment paper should stick easily to the bottom of the pan.
Step 2: Slice the oranges into thin slices by resting the orange on its side. You want to cut the slices when the orange is on its side and not standing upright from end to end. Keep the sides of the oranges and squeeze the extra juice into another bowl. You will need about 2 tablespoons of extra juice. Remove any of the seeds from each slice of orange. You will need about 25 slices for the cake.
Step 3: Add 1/3 cup of sugar to a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of extra juice, and whisk until mixture is smooth. Pour this juice mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Orange the orange slices in an overlapping pattern at the bottom of the pan.
Step 4: In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, Grand Marinier, orange zest, and vanilla. Set aside.
Step 5: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy, about five minutes. The egg and sugar mixture should become pale and thick.
Step 6: Add the olive oil to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat until combined. Turn the mixer speed down to low and alternatively, add in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) and wet ingredients. Once the mixture starts to form, take the bowl off the standing mixture, use a spatula to scrape down the sides, and fold the mixture.
Step 7: Pour the cake mixture on top of the oranges in the springform pan. Bake the cake for 30-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a fork comes out clean.
Step 8: Once the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes. Take a knife and smooth out the edges of the cake then undo the springform pan. Flip the cake on top of a cake plate and gently peel off the parchment paper. You should see the beautiful layers of the oranges on top. Enjoy a slice with fresh whipped cream or store it at room temperature in an air-tight container. The cake is best served one day later because the juices will absorb down into the cake.
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