Blood oranges are such a beautiful fruit, and they’re usually only available Winter through early Spring. This recipe is based on one that’s in my cookbook. I made it last Winter in the form of ’cakelets,’ and we both loved it, so here I am, making it again, this time in a full-sized single layer.
Since I gave up drinking alcohol (I still cook with it sometimes), I’ve been using bitters. This has opened up a whole new world of flavor for me. There is indeed a little bit of alcohol in the bitters, but it’s much like what is used in extracts. Vanilla’s got as much, so I feel no guilt about this at all. I’ve also been looking into using them in baking, so I decided to try a little bit of that myself. This time, I made this with a tablespoon of blood orange bitters, and I love the boost of flavor!
If you decide to try this recipe, you will need a very sharp knife to cut the oranges because you’ll want them as thin and uniform as possible to help cut their bitterness and fit nicely in the bottom of the pan.
I used coconut sugar in this mainly because it’s a little bit healthier (I use it in my morning coffee), but brown sugar works just as well.
You’ll need approximately two (depending on how large they are) blood oranges for this—one for juice and zest in the cake and one or two for the ’topping.’
Blood Orange & Thyme Upside-Down Cake
For the ’Topping’
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup coconut or brown sugar
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- pinch of sea salt
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- blood oranges, very thinly sliced (seeds removed)
For the Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup coconut or brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup blood orange juice (from one blood orange)
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 Tbsp blood orange bitters (optional)
- 1 cup pastry or all-purpose flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- zest from 1 blood orange
Prepare a 9-inch cake pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and then greasing it with butter.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the honey, coconut or brown sugar, thyme sprigs, butter, and salt and heat, stirring until the butter melts and all ingredients are combined. Let it bubble for a minute, then remove from heat. Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes, letting the mixture infuse, then fish out the thyme sprigs. While it’s sitting, you can prep everything else.
In another small pan, toast the almond slices over low heat, tossing them every minute or so until they turn light golden brown.
Preheat oven to 350º.
Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl.
Beat the butter and sugars together with a hand or stand mixer in a large bowl. When light and fluffy, add the eggs and beat until incorporated. Mix in the blood orange juice, bitters, and almond extract.
Once the honey mixture has sat enough, line the bottom of the pan with the very thinly sliced oranges, then pour the honey mixture over the top of them. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top of the oranges.
Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in the orange zest, then pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
Allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before inverting it onto a large plate. Makes about 8-10 slices.
