This easy Upside Down Blood Orange Cake, packed with Citrus Fruits, is the perfect Winter dessert. The slightly caramelised Blood Oranges are baked under a light and fluffy Butter Cake, making it a deliciously fresh yet comforting winter dessert or afternoon tea cake!
Preheat your oven on 180'C / 350'F. Line a 22 cm / 9 inch Springform Pan (or round pan) with Baking Paper.
Blood Orange Layer
Sprinkle the Caster Sugar into an even layer at the bottom of your pan.
Thinly slice the Blood Oranges and arrange them over the layer of Sugar (see note 1). Set aside.
Butter Cake
Cream the very soft Butter and Sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until doubled in volume and pale, using a Stand or Hand Mixer.
On the lowest speed, mix in the Eggs one at the time (at room temperature) until all combined. (see note 2).
Add the Cream, Vanilla and Blood Orange Zest and Juice. Mix until combined.
Slowly mix in the sifted Self-Rising Flour. Stop as soon as combined to avoid over-mixing the batter.
Pour the cake batter over the slices of Blood Oranges, using the back of a spoon or small offset spatula to spread it if needed.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes (see note 3) or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down completely before removing the edges of the springform pan and flipping the cake over a serving plate.
Notes
(*) This recipe is relatively low in sugar. If you like your cakes to be on the sweeter side, feel free to increase the quantity of caster sugar.
Start by placing one slice of blood orange at the centre of your pan, then arrange the slices in circle around it, each slice slightly overlapping on the next one.
If the mixture curdles, it is usually because the butter and/or eggs weren't at room temperature or the eggs were added too fast. You can rectify a curdling batter by adding a little bit of the flour.
As always when it comes to baking, the recommended baking time is indicative only and might vary based on your oven. Always check on the cake about halfway through the baking and keep baking until a skewer or tip of a knife comes out clean. If the cake looks like it is starting to burn before it is fully baked, reduce the oven temperature and optionally cover the pan with aluminium foil.