Blood Orange Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

• 3-4 oranges Blood oranges (untreated, well washed and thinly sliced)
• suffisante g Butter (melted in the microwave)
• 30 g Sugar (for the base) (evenly spread on the bottom of the pan)
• 180 g Sugar (for the batter) (added to the eggs before whisking)
• 3 pcs Eggs (at room temperature)
• au goût ml Sunflower oil (gently incorporated into the mixture)
• 130 ml Blood orange juice (for the batter) (added gradually while whisking)
• 100 g Warm blood orange juice (for the glaze) (used to soak the cake after it comes out of the oven)
• 1 pcs Vanilla bean (scraped, seeds incorporated into the batter)
• au goût g Blood orange zest (taken from the oranges used)
• au goût g All-purpose flour (sift before incorporating)
• au goût g Baking powder (sift with the flour)
• au goût g Salt (a pinch)
• au goût g Orange marmalade (heated and brushed onto the finished cake)

Instructions

1. Prepare the blood oranges

   Thoroughly wash the oranges, peel them if desired, then cut into thin, even slices.

   Time: PT10M

2. Melt the butter and prepare the pan

   Melt the butter in the microwave (about 1 minute). Butter the pan, line it with parchment paper, sprinkle 30 g of sugar on the bottom, then pour the melted butter and tap lightly to spread the butter‑sugar mixture.

   Time: PT3M

3. Arrange the orange slices in a rosette

   Spread the blood orange slices in the bottom of the pan forming a rosette, starting from the center and working outward to the edges.

   Time: PT3M

4. Mix sugar and eggs

   In a bowl, pour the 180 g of sugar then add the 3 eggs. Whisk with an electric mixer for a few minutes until the mixture lightens and becomes frothy.

   Time: PT5M

5. Incorporate oil, juice, vanilla and zest

   Add the sunflower oil while continuing to whisk, then gradually pour the 130 ml of blood orange juice. Incorporate the vanilla bean seeds and orange zest, then whisk lightly.

   Time: PT3M

6. Add the dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, baking powder and salt directly onto the batter, then whisk until a homogeneous batter is obtained.

   Time: PT2M

7. Pour the batter into the pan

   Pour the batter evenly over the arranged orange slices, smoothing the surface with a spatula.

   Time: PT1M

8. Bake

   Preheat the oven to 170 °C on convection. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a knife tip: it should come out clean.

   Time: PT40M

   Temperature: 170°C

9. Brush with warm orange juice

   Immediately after removing from the oven, brush the still‑warm cake with 100 g of warm blood orange juice using a brush.

   Time: PT2M

10. Let cool slightly and unmold

    Let the cake warm up for about 5 minutes, then place a serving plate over the pan and invert gently. Remove the pan and parchment paper.

    Time: PT5M

11. Finish with orange marmalade

    Heat the orange marmalade and brush the cake surface with a brush to add shine and extra flavor.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Blood oranges: regular oranges
• Instead of Butter: margarine
• Instead of Sugar (for the base): cane sugar
• Instead of Sugar (for the batter): cane sugar
• Instead of Eggs: organic chicken eggs
• Instead of Sunflower oil: rapeseed oil, light olive oil
• Instead of Blood orange juice (for the batter): fresh orange juice
• Instead of Warm blood orange juice (for the glaze): warm orange juice
• Instead of Vanilla bean: vanilla extract
• Instead of Blood orange zest: lemon zest
• Instead of All-purpose flour: whole wheat flour
• Instead of Baking powder: baking soda + cream of tartar
• Instead of Salt: sea salt
• Instead of Orange marmalade: orange jam, orange jelly

Equipment Needed

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Microwave
• Cake pan (canelet or springform)
• Parchment paper
• Mixing bowl
• Electric mixer or whisk
• Liquid measuring cup
• Kitchen scale
• Fine sieve (sieve)
• Silicone spatula
• Kitchen brush
• Oven

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Arranging orange slices in a rosette at the bottom of the pan
• Whisking eggs and sugar until a frothy mixture is obtained
• Precise baking at 170 °C for 30 minutes
• Delicately flipping the cake after cooling

Chef Tips from the Video

• Choose untreated blood oranges for a vibrant reddish color.
• Use a high‑sided pan (canelet) to facilitate flipping.
• Brush the orange marmalade onto the cake as soon as it reaches room temperature for optimal shine.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Wrap the whole cake or portions in cling film and freeze for up to 1 month.

Room temperature: At room temperature, the cake keeps for up to 1 day.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Orange slices can be prepared the day before and kept in the refrigerator.
• The batter can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and kept chilled, then poured into the pan just before baking.
• The orange marmalade can be heated ahead of time and kept warm.