One good thing about life during the winter is the awesome fruit that comes with it. BLOOD ORANGES. What the hell is this crazy fruit anyway? And why do I think I like it more because of how unique it is? Well, because it is different, and therefore: special. You can thank anthocyanins for the dark red flesh of this orange, which is a ‘family of antioxidant pigments’ common in various fruits, but not so common in citrus. Fruits like raspberries, blueberries, cherries.. pretty much those with dark pigments.. (I researched this, didn’t actually know off hand).
Anyway- blood oranges in my opinion have a slightly different taste. A bit sweeter and less acidic. They can be found at the grocery store- I found several at my local once here in Denver. The rind is an ordinary orange color, but if you should be able to tell which variety by the label on the fruit.
If you can’t find them at the store- they are available on Amazon!
Simply put: this cake is decadent. A little sour from the fruit, sweet from the brown sugar, and just enough salt in the entire thing to really make that bite of cake DANCE in your mouth. Was that weird?
You can just as easily use a regular orange if you’d like- I promise it will be equally as delicious.
Blood Orange Caramel Cake
Yield 9” cake
Butter 8 oz.
Brown sugar 5 oz.
Sugar 4 oz.
Eggs 2
Flour 12 oz.
Baking powder 1 ½ tsp
Baking soda 1 ½ tsp
Hot water 1 cup
Vanilla 1 tsp
Salt 1 ½ tsp
Blood orange zest 2 T (1 blood orange)
Glaze
Cream 2 oz.
Brown sugar 5 oz.
Butter 3 oz.
For the orange slices
Butter 1.5 oz.
Brown sugar 4 oz.
Directions:
First things first- preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Spray a 9” springform pan with baking spray.
Zest the blood orange, and set aside the zest.
Melt the 1.5 oz. butter and 4 oz. brown sugar together- then spread over bottom of springform pan.
Next, slice the top and bottom of the orange off. With a small knife, cut off the rind of the orange as best as you can without cutting into the flesh of the orange. Cut the orange in slices and place over the brown sugar mixture in the springform pan.
Now to make the cake. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars together. Next add the eggs, followed by the zest and vanilla.
Next, alternately add the flour mixture and the hot water.
Pour over the blood oranges and into the oven. Set timer for 30 minutes. (You’re going to bake for 30, glaze, then bake another 25-30 minutes.)
To make the glaze: melt cream, brown sugar, and butter on medium heat until all
mixed together.
Once you’re 30 minutes in, remove cake pan from oven, brush half of the glaze over the top of the cake, then bake for another 25-30 minutes. (reserving the remaining glaze for once the cake is out of the oven.)
Once completely baked, cool in pan for 30 minutes. Next, remove springform sides, and invert cake onto a cake plate. Carefully peel away the base, if you’re having trouble getting the cake off without disturbing the orange slices, use a torch to release the cake pan base.
Finally, glaze the top of the cake with the remaining glaze. Now cut yourself a slice and take a bite- you deserve it. That was tough.
Enjoy!
Blood Orange Caramel Cake
Upside down caramel cake with sliced blood oranges
Ingredients
Cake
- 8 oz butter
- 5 oz brown sugar
- 4 oz sugar
- 2 eggs
- 12 oz flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp blood orange zest
Glaze
- 2 oz cream
- 5 oz brown sugar
- 3 oz butter
Orange slices
- 1.5 oz butter
- 4 oz brown sugar
- 1 blood orange
Instructions
- First things first- preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Spray a 9” springform pan with baking spray.
- Zest the blood orange, and set aside the zest.
- Melt the 1.5 oz. butter and 4 oz. brown sugar together- then spread over bottom of springform pan.
- Next, slice the top and bottom of the orange off. With a small knife, cut off the rind of the orange as best as you can without cutting into the flesh of the orange. Cut the orange in slices and place over the brown sugar mixture in the springform pan.
- Now to make the cake. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together. Next add the eggs, followed by the zest and vanilla.
- Next, alternately add the flour mixture and the hot water.
- Pour over the blood oranges and into the oven. Set timer for 30 minutes. (You’re going to bake for 30, glaze, then bake another 25-30 minutes.)
- To make the glaze: melt cream, brown sugar, and butter on medium heat until all
mixed together. - Once you’re 30 minutes in, remove cake pan from oven, brush half of the glaze over the top of the cake, then bake for another 25-30 minutes. (reserving the remaining glaze for once the cake is out of the oven.)
- Once completely baked, cool in pan for 30 minutes. Next, remove springform sides, and invert cake onto a cake plate. Carefully peel away the base, if you’re having trouble getting the cake off without disturbing the orange slices, use a torch to release the cake pan base.
- Finally, glaze the top of the cake with the remaining glaze. Now cut yourself a slice and take a bite- you deserve it. That was tough.
- Enjoy!
