Upside Down Blood Orange Cake

A grownup cake to brighten up dark wintery afternoons. Can be made with any citrus but blood oranges give it a rich tone and a welcome bitterness to contrast the sweet vanilla sponge and caramel.

Ingredients

For the caramel and orange topping:

• 3 medium oranges

• 2/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 tsp fine salt

• 65g unsalted butter

For the cake:

• 2 cups plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 3/4 tsp fine salt

• 110g unsalted butter

• 1 cup caster sugar

• 3 medium eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

• 1 cup milk

Method

For the caramel and orange topping:

Slice the oranges as fine as possible.

In a small heavy-bottomed pan, place sugar and let it sit over medium-low heat until melted sugar starts to bubble on extremities. Start to swirl the pan until it all melts. Continue to swirl until the melted sugar is an amber colour and transparent. Use a spoon to melt in any residual sugar. Pour into cake tin.

Beginning at the centre, layer the orange slices on top of the caramel in concentric circles working your way outwards. Set aside.

For the cake:

Pre-heat oven to 180ºc fan

In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale and frothy (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, little by little, beating well to incorporate. Once all eggs have been mixed in, add vanilla and orange zest, and whisk just until combined.

Add flour gradually, alternating with milk, whisking to combine thoroughly after each addition.

Pour cake batter into cake tin, and bake in centre rack of oven for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven and allow to cool down for 5 minutes.

To release, using a sharp knife trace the edges of the tin, then with a serving dish placed on top, flip the tin upside down to allow the cake to drop.

Allow to cook completely before serving.