This easy Orange Spice Upside Down Cake is packed with citrus and spice, it’s the perfect Winter dessert. Caramelized candy oranges are baked under a vanilla spice eggless cake, making it a deliciously fresh yet comforting winter cake or afternoon tea slice!
What to expect from this Orange Spice Upside Down Cake
If you’re after a simple, delicious but visually spectacular cake, this is the cake for you! Unlike my other cakes there is an extra step to candy the oranges, but the taste and visual impact of the final cake is totally worth it!
Oranges + Cake
There is something simply irresistible about winter citrus and I can’t help myself to get them by the bag. We make fresh juice, cut them up after dinner and have them with a dash of salt and pepper, or just eat them as is. It may be because I’m a Florida girl but fresh and juicy oranges remind me of crispy sunny mornings.
Growing up, my parents would slater orange marmalade on their toasts and vanilla tea cakes come wintertime. It was the perfect sweet and tangy combination. In this cake the light and fresh taste of oranges is a delicious mix combined with the sweet and hint of spice tea cake. This recipe is an easy, simple yet impressive-looking way to combine oranges and cake.
Tips to make this recipe
- Caramelized fruits tend to stick to a pan so don’t forget to line the baking pan with baking paper. It will make flipping the cake much easier and avoid having the fruit layer getting stuck at the bottom of the pan.
- Make sure the orange slices aren’t too thick. Thin candied oranges are easier and more pleasant to eat.
- All Spice: While this recipe called for all spice, if you don’t have that spice mix at home you can use an even amount of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove.
- For a fluffy cake sift the flour and sugar and avoid over-mixing the batter.
- Wait for the blood orange cake to have completely cooled down before flipping it. Remove the edges of your Springform Pan, then place your serving plate over the top of the cake. Flip it over in one quick movement, then remove the bottom springform pan plate and baking paper.
- 1½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk yogurt; plain + room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup cooking oil; neutral
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon all spice blend * see recipe notes for alternative
- 2 tablespoon warm water
- 2 oranges thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cup water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 star anise
- Cut oranges in thin slices, removing any seeds.
- In a large pan on medium heat add the water and sugar, allowing sugar to dissolve.
- Once the sugar dissolves add in cloves, star anise, and orange slices.
- Cook down for 10-12 minutes flipping oranges frequently, until the sugar syrup dissolves completely leaving a thick syrup layer on the orange. Discard the whole spices.
- Line one 8-inch spring form cake pan with with parchment paper. Lay down an even layer of candied oranges at the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a small bowl mix together the room temperature yogurt, orange juice, warm water, baking soda. Let the mixture rest for 3-4 minutes as the baking soda starts to react with the yogurt.
- Once bubbles start to appear, add vanilla extract, mix.
- In a large bowl sift the flour and sugar. Add in the baking powder and all spice.
- Alternating with the yogurt mixture and oil add the wet ingredients to the flour bowl mixing everything together.
- Once the mixture is mixed (it will resemble a soft dough) spoon it on top of the candied oranges.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before flipping over on serving platter.
Enjoy,
Hello recipe stalker here again 🙂🙃🙂
From
Instagram to this blog – I had to leave a comment! This cake is da bomb 💣 surely that orange candied make take a while to master but the rest of the recipe is soooo easy. Please make it!! It’s yummy yum yum.