Orange Upside Down Cake
Orange Upside Down Cake is such a beautiful showstopper of a dessert! Colorful zesty orange slices adorn an incredibly moist, soft and fluffy orange flavored sponge. This easy orange cake is sweet and citrusy and infused with orange flavor throughout.
About this Orange Upside Down Cake
I love having easy, every day cakes like this that are simple enough to make just because but offer such a pretty presentation that they can be served for special events, too.
If you’ve never made an upside down cake before, you’ll be amazed at how easy they are to prepare. There are no layers or icing to fuss with on a cake like this.
And, you get a gorgeous presentation of candied orange slices when you flip the cake out of the pan after baking – the oranges become deliciously gooey as they bake which adds a gorgeous texture to the cake. If you enjoy citrus flavors, you will be sure to love this vibrant recipe.
Because oranges are peak in season during the winter, an Orange Upside Down Cake is a great fruit upside-down cake for a winter dinner party or simple Christmas dessert. But, you can enjoy making this all throughout the year as well!
Tools Needed to Make this Easy Orange Cake
You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare this orange upside-down cake. Here’s what I recommend gathering before getting started:
- set of measuring cups and spoons – to measure the ingredients.
- sharp knife and cutting board – to cut the orange slices.
- small mixing bowl – to combine the dry ingredients in.
- wire whisk – to whisk the flour mixture so the ingredients are well mixed.
- electric mixer – you’ll need either a hand mixer with a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer with paddle attachment to make the cake batter in.
- spatula – a silicone spatula works well to scrape the sides down from the sides of the bowl as you are making the cake batter.
- 8-inch springform pan – to bake the cake in.
- serving plate – to turn the cake upside down onto for serving.
What’s in this Orange Upside Down Cake?
This cake uses very simple ingredients which makes it very accessible to make! Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to have on hand.
- granulated sugar
- unsalted butter
- oranges
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- large eggs
- whole milk
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this citrus cake, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make this Orange Upside Down Cake
This is such an easy orange cake recipe since you don’t have to worry about cake layers or frosting. Here is summary of the process:
- Prep the pan – melt butter in the springform pan and brush all over the bottom of the cake pan and up the sides of the pan.
- Add the oranges – sprinkle sugar inside the bottom of the pan and arrange sliced oranges in a circular pattern on top of the sugar.
- Combine the dry ingredients – whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat the butter – in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter. Then, add the sugar, eggs, and orange zest.
- Add in the flour mixture – gently mix the flour mixer into the bowl with the butter mixture.
- Stir in the milk – so you don’t over beat the cake batter, it is best to stir in the milk by hand.
- Bake the cake – transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking pan, pouring it over the orange slices. Then, bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cool and flip – cool the cake completely, then place a serving plate on top and invert the cake so the plate is right side up.
The above is simply a quick summary of this orange upside-down cake. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature butter and eggs. I have tutorials on bringing eggs to room temperature as well as how to soften butter quickly. Using room temperature ingredients is important because both assist with even creaming and smoother batter, which makes the cake bake evenly.
- Out of baking soda or baking powder? Don’t let that stop you from making this citrus cake! You can make your own baking powder substitute in a pinch.
- I like to use a combination of naval oranges and blood oranges for this cake. You can use any variety of orange and it doesn’t matter if they are different slices as this all adds to the decorative appearance of the cake.
- This recipe was tested in both an 8-inch springform pan and a 9-inch pan. I recommend using the 8-inch pan because you achieve slightly more height on the cake this way. However, you can use a 9-inch cake pan, just know that your cake won’t be as deep and it may cook slightly faster.
- Since the pan isn’t lined with parchment paper, be sure to run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake before unclipping the springform ring. If you don’t do this and an area of the cake has stuck you risk breaking the cake.
How to Serve this Cake
This cake goes perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a simple dessert. If you want even more orange flavor, you might like to serve it with some orange curd along with your whipped cream or ice cream.
For a garnish, fresh thyme, rosemary, or basil sprigs are all beautiful and easy!
Upside Down Orange Cake Recipe FAQs
Got questions about how to make this easy orange cake recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
What are the best type of orange to use?
You can use any type of oranges you want, however I do recommend that you use a mix of colors for the prettiest presentation. Blood oranges and another type, such as navel oranges, cara cara oranges, or valencia oranges looks great!
Can this orange upside down cake be made gluten-free?
I have not tested a gluten-free version of this upside down orange cake yet, but my recommendation for this particular recipe would be to substitute half of the flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and the other half using almond flour.
When should you flip an upside down cake?
For best results, make sure this orange upside-down cake cools completely before you flip it, otherwise you risk it falling apart.
How should I store leftover orange cake?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 2 – 3 days at room temperature. To prolong the life of the citrus cake, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Try this Orange Upside Down Cake!
Next time you’re looking for an easy orange cake recipe, give this gorgeous orange upside-down cake a try!
Did you love all of the gorgeous colors from the citrus fruits? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me @goodlifeeats #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of your citrus cake!
More Easy Orange Recipes
This Orange Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe is super simple to bake! These muffins get their tangy orange flavor from plenty of fresh orange zest and fresh orange juice – perfect for citrus season!
Cranberry Orange Scones are studded with tart cranberries and flavored with orange juice and zest, this Cranberry Orange Scone Recipe is a great make-ahead holiday breakfast idea!
Take advantage of fresh winter produce by making this Fennel and Orange Salad. It’s bright and citrusy in flavor, and is so easy to make!
Dried Orange Slices can be eaten as a snack, used as DIY home decor, added to potpourri, and so much more! This post will explain how to dry orange slices and what to do with your dehydrated oranges.
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
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Have you ever made an upside down cake?
Orange Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
For the Oranges
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 - 4 oranges (I used a combination of naval and blood oranges)
For the Cake Batter
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- zest of 2 oranges
- 4 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
Recipe Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In an 8 inch springform baking pan add the 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Put it into the oven for a couple of minutes so the butter melts. Remove the pan from the oven then brush the butter over the base of the pan and up the sides.
Adding the Oranges
- Scatter the half cup of sugar evenly on the base of the pan.
- Wash the oranges but do not remove the rind. Slice them thinly then arrange them in a layer on top of the butter and sugar in the base of the baking pan.
- Begin by adding a slice to the center of the pan then add a second and third layer of orange slices in a circular pattern to completely cover the base of the pan. Set aside.
Making the Cake Batter
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt then set aside.
- In the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted, add the soft butter. Beat on a low speed until creamy then slowly pour in the sugar and beat on a medium speed for a couple of minutes to cream together.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on a low speed for 20 seconds between each addition. Turn the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until pale yellow and voluminous.
- With the mixer on its lowest speed, add the orange zest and mix to combine.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and mix on the lowest speed to combine. Do not over mix.
- Add the milk and fold into the cake batter by hand.
- Carefully transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking pan taking care not to disrupt the layers of sliced oranges.
Baking the Cake
- Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 45 - 50 minutes or until the cake is risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to completely cool in the pan.
Serving
- When the cake is cool, run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan then unclip the spring and remove the side.
- Place a plate on top and invert the cake by flipping it over so the plate is right side up.
- Carefully remove the bottom of the springform pan - run a sharp knife around the edges to make this easier.
- The sliced oranges that were at the bottom are now at the top! Slice the cake, serve and enjoy.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 468Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 289mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 3gSugar: 41gProtein: 6g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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