This cake is not only a gorgeous presentation, with beautiful ruby red blood orange slices– it’s so delicious! The cornmeal gives a crunchy texture to the cake. It’s not too sweet, but perfect. Can you substitute regular oranges or even Meyer lemons? Absolutely!
Until I spent two weeks visiting my grandmother, in Bavaria, I wasn’t familiar with blood oranges. I learned this the hard way. Each morning, the bed and breakfast where I stayed, would lay out a beautiful breakfast buffet. Freshly baked rolls, European butter, soft boiled eggs, cold cuts, fresh coffee and a weak looking pitcher of tomato juice. (Unless tomato juice has a stalk of celery and a good splash of vodka and hot sauce, I’ll usually pass it by.)
True story: It wasn’t until the last day of my stay that I discovered that tall pitcher of red juice was blood orange juice– from Italy. Needless to say, I could’ve slapped myself silly for my ignorance. Live and learn.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 225g
- 3/4 cup cornmeal 110g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup sugar 200g
- 3/4 cup butter 170g; softened
- 1/4 cup neutral flavored olive oil or veg or canola oil 60ml
- 1/2 cup blood orange juice 120ml; I used 1/4 c of regular orange juice mixed w/ 1/4 c of blood orange juice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the orange slices:
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 blood oranges (preferably organic), sliced thin, rind/skin left on
Instructions
For the orange slice "upside down":
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Melt the 4 tbsp of butter and the brown sugar in a 9" heavy round cake pan (I used a Nordicware cake tin). This should take 5 minutes.
- Spread the butter sugar mixture with a silicone spatula to cover the bottom of the tin.
- I buttered the sides of the pan as well, after removing the pan from the oven, because I wanted to guarantee NO STICKING.
- Lay the thinly sliced oranges on top of this mixture in the pan, it's ok to overlap them, because they do shrink after baking. 2-3 oranges should be enough.
- Set the cake pan aside while making the batter.
For the cake:
- Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cornmeal and salt) in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, beat the sugar with butter, vanilla, zest and eggs. Add the juice and oil last and mix together.
- Add the wet to the dry and mix to form a smooth batter.
- Pour into the pan over the orange slices in the butter/sugar mixture.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Let rest only 5 minutes in the pan (you may need to run a knife around the edges).
- Invert onto a cooling rack and tap lightly to release.
- My cake came out of the pan like a dream.
- Let fully cool before slicing (you want the top to harden a bit).
June Burns says
That looks fabulous! Great use for blood oranges 🙂
Sue/the view from great island says
Gorgeous cake Debby, I can't get enough blood oranges. Is the orange oil the same as orange extract? I need to get some!
bellini says
Blood oranges are a favourite this time of year.
Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen says
This looks divine. In fact so divine I wish I had a piece with my breakfast, which is about to be put on the table.
Sam
Stacey Snacks says
Deb,
I have made this cake 4 times now. It's a winner.
Too bad blood oranges are almost gone…..till next year!
Stacey
Roz Corieri Paige says
There is just nothing like a blood orange cake/torta and I have been waiting PATIENTLY for their appearance in the markets (here in S.C.). If time allows you, Debby, please stop by my blog for a little recognition of you (no silly awards, I promise).
Thanks for the blood orange recipe to emulate,
Roz
Betty says
I love eating blood oranges- they are so beautiful! I've never baked with them though, and after seeing this gorgeous cake I'm wondering why. It looks so good! 🙂
Joanne says
I would have had no idea what the blood oranges were up until a few years ago, so you're not alone! Love the idea of making an upside down cake with them. makes for a stunning exterior and a delicious interior!
scottiedog1965 says
I only use a cast-iron skillet for making pineapple upside down cake. I wonder if my mother's vanilla-nutmeg sauce would be as good on your cake as it is on pineapple upside down. Probably not, two completely different fruits.
Ciao Chow Linda says
I've made this several times this season too, but not with the addition of the orange oil – great idea. Your cake looks sensational.