Baked or Smoked, This Takes The (wait for it…..) Cake!
There’s a reason citrus seasons hits right smack dab into winter! That’s the time we all need a little added sunshine. Just cut any of your favorite citrus fruits in half and they look just like glistening sunshine. The taste of this delicious, bright Blood Orange Upside Down Cake will turn that winter frown upside down!
This cake is layered with flavor. It starts with a lemony caramel sauce, to hug those fresh blood oranges. Then the cake love comes in. It’s got a great texture, made with equal parts flour and cornmeal for that crumbly, rustic cake that’s very similar to cornbread, but lighter and super moist.
Smokin’
After waiting on the sidelines for way too long, I finally sucked it up and bought my husband a Traeger Smoker for Christmas this year. I will confess that I really didn’t get what the big deal was, even though so many people were telling me how delicious everything comes out. I thought, “Just another vessel to basically barbecue, but slower”. Nope, I was way, way wrong! This smoker takes away the most difficult part for a home cook to manage, which is keeping the temperature at a steady level for an extended period of time.
Let’s face it…there’s usually a frosty adult beverage involved in any kind of grilling adventure, right? Especially one that takes hours of slow cooking to meet the delicious objective. Well my friends, the Traeger takes the temperature control problem away and you can focus on great cooking. You can smoke your main dish, smoke your appetizer and even…..dessert! Yep, you can even smoke this Blood Orange Upside Down Cake too!
To Smoke or Not To Smoke
There are a number of websites, including the New York Times touting this beautiful and delicious recipe and I can’t see who originated it. Well, I do like to give credit where credit is due, so since I don’t know, let’s just be clear, not my own recipe. This version was taken right from the Traeger website. The message is, that you can bake it your oven or you can smoke it too. Either way, you’re going to have a delicious winter dessert! The smoking adds another layer of flavor to an already delicious cake.
For The Caramel Sauce
Into a sauce pan over medium heat, combine 3/4 cups brown sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar turns light, golden amber color. Remove from heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, once melted, add the juice of 1/2 lemon, stir and set aside to cool.
For the Cake
Preheat your oven or Traeger Smoker to 350°
Zest one of the oranges, set the zest aside. Peel and remove the pith from 3 blood oranges. Slice into 1/8 inch thick rounds.
Prepare a 9″ springform cake pan by spraying with a non stick cooking spray, then line with parchment paper to fit the bottom, then spray again. Set aside.
Pour the caramel sauce into the bottom of the pan and line with the orange slices to cover the bottom of the pan.
Mixing
Into a medium sized bowl, add all of the dry ingredients – 3/4 cup of stone ground yellow cornmeal, 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking power and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the zest zest from one of the oranges and combine well. Set aside.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add 1 cup of softened, unsalted butter and 1 cup of sugar. Beat on high until very light yellow. Reduce speed to low and add 3 eggs, one at a time until each is combined. Next add 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tablespoon of vanilla. Continue to mix until completely combined. The mixture will be very light and fluffy!
Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to incorporate fully.
Pour the batter over the oranges and caramel. Use an off-set spatula to gently smooth the batter over the oranges and caramel.
Place the cake pan on top of a covered sheet pan, just in case of leaks during baking (mine did). Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool about 10 minutes, then run a dull knife around the edge. Let the cake cool about 15 more minutes. Put serving plate over the top of the cake, flip over. Release the sides and remove the parchment gently.
Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or just by itself! I served this with lightly sweetened whipped cream and just a bit more fresh orange zest.
Cake - Blood Orange Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 3 blood oranges
- zest of 1 blood orange
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Caramel Sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
For The Caramel Sauce
- Into a sauce pan over medium heat, combine 3/4 cups brown sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar turns light, golden amber color.
- Remove from heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, once melted, add the juice of 1/2 lemon, stir and set aside to cool.
For the Cake
- Preheat oven or smoker to 350 degrees
- Zest one blood orange, then peel and remove the pith from 3 blood oranges. Slice into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Set the zest and slices aside.
- Prepare a 9" springform cake pan by spraying with a non stick cooking spray, then line with parchment paper to fit the bottom, then spray again. Set aside.
- Pour the caramel sauce into the bottom of the pan and line with the orange slices to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Into a medium sized bowl, add all of the dry ingredients - 3/4 cup of stone ground yellow cornmeal, 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons o baking power and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the zest and combine well.
- Set aside.
- Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add 1 cup of softened, unsalted butter and 1 cup of sugar.
- Beat on high until very light yellow.
- Reduce speed to low and add 3 eggs, one at a time until each is combined.
- Next add 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tablespoon of vanilla.
- Continue to mix until completely combined. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to incorporate fully.
- Pour the batter over the oranges and caramel.
- Place the cake pan on top of a covered sheet pan, just in case of leaks during baking.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool about 10 minutes, then run a dull knife around the edge. Let the cake cool another 15 more minutes. Put a serving plate over the top of the cake, flip over.
- Release the sides and remove the parchment gently.
- Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or just by itself!
- Enjoy!
