Upside-Down Blood Orange Cake - NY Times

Upside-Down Blood Orange Cake

On my last trip to San Francisco, I lounged in my friend Sumi's beautiful sun-filled apartment reading the New York Times and drinking tea. I love vacations that include lots of lounging and napping. I came across this recipe for Upside-Down Blood Orange Cake in the New York Times, clippped it out and brought it home to make!

I made half the recipe and filled a 5" round pan. I didn't have the fine cornmeal called for in the recipe, so I tried processing some regular cornmeal. I don't think that made much difference (perhaps it was my small food processor), so next time I'll take awesome cookbook author Alisa Huntsman's @janeofmanytrade recommendation and get corn flour instead. It's so cool when I ask something on Twitter and a super nice pastry chef writes back! Alisa, totally owe you a bundt cake :)

I think there is nothing prettier than blood oranges. They are the sassy ones in the citrus family.

Recipe: Upside-Down Blood Orange Cake
From the New York Times Dining Section, Jan 16, 2013, D2

270 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons - divided), at room temperature
130 grams light brown sugar (about 2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (I used a meyer lemon)
2 medium-sized blood oranges
122 grams fine cornmeal (about 1 cup) (I used regular cornmeal that I whizzed around in the food processor for a bit. I don't think that helped much...next time, I'm going to get corn flour)
65 grams all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
8 grams baking powder (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
2 grams fine sea salt (about 1/2 teaspoon)
200 grams granulated sugar (about 1 cup)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream (I didn't have any sour cream so I used some Greek yogurt)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. (I made HALF the recipe and used a 5" round cake pan)
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add the brown sugar and lemon juice; stir until sugar melts, about 3 minutes. Scrape mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
3. Grate zest from the oranges. Cut away the skin and white pith. Slice into 1/4" wheels, discarding seeds. Arrange oranges on top of brown sugar mixture in a single, tight layer. I cut some pieces to fit in the pan.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In a bowl of a standing mixer, rub the sugar together with the orange zest. Then cream together 2 sticks (225 grams) butter with the granulated sugar. Beat in eggs, one a time, then beat in sour cream (or yogurt) and vanilla. Fold in the dry mixture by hand.
5. Scrape batter into pan over oranges. Transfer to oven and bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, 40 to 50 minutes. (I didn't note how long I baked the 5" round cake - but check early). Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, then run a knife along pan’s edges to loosen it; invert onto a platter and cool completely before serving.

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Blood Orange Cornmeal Cake (Everyday Food)

Blood Orange Cornmeal Cake

It's blood orange season. I love cooking with blood oranges because the color is so vibrant! However, I usually don't eat the blood oranges raw. My favorite citrus are the Cara Cara, Satsuma and this year, the Dekopon or Sumo Citrus.

This cake is super easy to make and you can use all types of citrus. I've used Cara Cara in the past and navels too. The cornmeal provides a nice texture.

I used several blood oranges and 1/2 a cara cara orange. The blood oranges are so pretty! The batter is super easy. Dry and wet ingredients combine with a whisk. No Kitchen Aid needed here.

Recipe:

Blood Orange Cornmeal Cake

Adapted from Everyday Food's Orange Cornmeal Cake

Printable recipe here

1 c sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 or 2 oranges
1/2 c olive oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c orange juice (I used blood oranges and a cara cara orange)
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 c sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prep 8-inch round cake pan with butter or Pam spray.
2. In a large bowl, rub the zest with the sugar until fragrant and damp. Whisk in oil, eggs, orange juice until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combing flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Don't overmix.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle top evenly with 1/3 cup sugar (topping will be thick). Bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
6. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert cake gently onto a plate or parchment covered cooling rack (you'll lose some of the sugar topping). Reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely. If you wish, you can serve with fresh orange segments.

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Blood Orange and Cardamom Upside Down Cake - David Lebovitz recipe

Blood Orange and Cardamom Upside Down Cake

I want to live near David Lebovitz.
And that doesn't mean he would live down the street in Los Angeles.
That means I would live in Paris.

Well, until then, I can make his ice cream and desserts. Here is an upside-down cake. Yes, I love the upside down cake (but not as much as the Bundt :)

David's recipe uses navel oranges, but I used all blood oranges. Oh, it is lovely California citrus time. Rock on! Melt butter, brown sugar and cardamom in a 10" skillet.

Layer your pretty citrus on the semi-cooled brown sugar layer.

The batter comes together quickly and is spread on the oranges. Bake for 40 minutes until golden.

On a side note, my Meyer Lemon Olive Oil cake was mentioned in the Los Angeles Times Food Section's blog, Daily Dish! How exciting is that?! And it's Thursday today Whoo hoo. Los Angeles Times Food section day.

Here are some other upside-down cakes:
Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down cake
Apple Upside-Down cake
Cherry Upside-Down cake
Los Angeles Times Meyer Lemon Upside-Down cake

P.S. It's my nephew's birthday today! 8 years old is a good year, Christian!

Recipe:
Adapted from David Lebovitz's Orange and Cardamom Upside Down Cake

Printable recipe here

David Lebovitz's recipe uses navel oranges, but he says in the notes that he has used a combo of navel and blood oranges. I only had blood oranges and used them.

Topping:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 medium-sized navel oranges, peeled and sliced in to 1/4-inch slices (I used blood oranges. I left one unpeeled and peeled the rest of them)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (I used Penzy's ground cardamom spice)

Batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom (David's recipe calls for 1 1/2 t ground cardamom but I went for a smaller amount - personal preference)
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 orange

Whipped cream (I didn't serve mine with any whipped cream)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Center rack in oven.
2. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter and the brown sugar along with 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to set.
3. Overlap the orange slices in concentric circles over the topping. Each slice should overlap the other by half. I stuck the little end pieces on the edges of the skillet.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and ground cardamom. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, vanilla and orange zest.
5. Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and thoroughly incorporate into batter. Scrap down sides of bowl as needed.
6. Stir in half of the dry ingredients, then the milk mixture. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients until just combined.
7. Pour batter over the oranges, even out with a spatula or knife and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. Very carefully flip onto serving platter.

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