Orange Ginger Upside-down Cake
Thank you, Darling Citrus, for sponsoring this post!
I’m half through my mini cookbook tour and feel very much like a zombie. I was in Los Angeles for a few days. It was very fun but incredibly exhausting! Once I’m back home and settled I’ll have to do a more thorough recap! I flew home for one day so I could reset and catch up on my never ending to-do list and now I’m off to Alabama! I’ve never been before but I’m so excited to meet new friends and talk about Chinese baking at the IACP conference! Then I’m off to NYC for a few days and I’m already sleepy just thinking about it.
Even though I’m writing this during my brief layover at home, I am so ready to not travel and spend some quality time at home with Reuben and Olive. No more meetings, no more book signings, no more rental cars! I’m a homebody if you couldn’t tell. I long for my own bed and quiet mornings at home with Reuben’s perfect cup of coffee and a fresh baked good if I’m up for it.
I’ve been dreaming of this Orange Ginger Upside-down Cake for weeks. I’ve baked A LOT this year and this little cake is honestly one of my favorites. Reuben is a big fan of upside-down cakes as well, so for once he wasn’t grumpy about having multiple cakes in the house. Upside-down cakes are full of drama. They look stunning but there is so much suspense because you don’t know if the pattern you worked so hard on actually looks good until it’s baked and flipped. It’s so satisfying and rewarding peeling back the parchment when it does work out though!
Instead of classic pineapple, I opted for thinly sliced oranges. Bright citrus during the cooler months is such a gift! The orange pairs so nicely with the spiced ginger cake. The cake is light and tender, spiced with both fresh and ground ginger and some cinnamon. I also sneaked in some maple syrup so each bite tastes like an extra cozy Fall morning.
All About the Base!
Like any upside-down cake, you first work on your fruit and sugar base, which will eventually turn into the top of your cake! Thinly sliced oranges are set into a mixture of brown sugar and some orange juice. The brown sugar will caramelize and also candy the oranges in the oven. I always grab a bag of Darling Citrus Navel Oranges because they are juicy, bright, and sweet! The perfect fruit for this cake.
When slicing the oranges, make sure you’re using a very sharp knife. That way you’ll be able to get thinner, more delicate slices. I get the best slices from the middle segment of the orange, so you’ll need 2 to 3 oranges to get enough slices for the whole cake. Juice the leftover ends of the oranges for your brown sugar mixture.
I preferred to cut my orange slices in half, like half-moons, and then shingle them over the brown sugar mixture. Try your best to overlap as many slices as you can so the cake batter doesn’t leak through.
Fresh Ginger Cake
The cake is light and airy from well whipped eggs and warmly spiced by way of fresh ginger, ground ginger, and cinnamon. Some orange zest also rounds out the strong citrus flavor and maple syrup provides an earthy sweetness.
Make sure to set your springform pan over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to help catch any drips (trust me, there will be drips…). Then pour the cake batter over the oranges. Place the cake in the oven and bake until deeply golden brown and the center is set. The cake will look pretty dark because of the spices and maple syrup. Don’t worry, it’s not burnt!
Once the cake is out of the oven, allow it to cool before attempting the big flip. I wait about 15 minutes and then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it up. Remove the edges of the springform pan and place a plate or cutting board over the cake. Confidently and carefully flip. You can do it! Then peel back the parchment and feel proud of yourself! It’s very tempting to eat a slice warm, but I think it tastes better at room temperature. Plus you get cleaner slices through the oranges when it’s cooler!
Orange Upside Down Cake
Makes one 8-inch cake
100g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
2 tbsp orange juice (from the ends of the oranges used for the cake)
115g (1/2 cup) melted butter, cooled
100g (3/4 cup) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
70g (1/4 cup) maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp orange zest
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a springform pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set the springform pan over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to catch drips.
In a small bowl, whisk to combine brown sugar and orange juice until it forms a thick slurry. Pour the brown sugar mixer into the line springform pan and spread into an even layer.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside to cool.
Thinly slice the middle segment of the oranges with a very sharp knife. Cut the sliced oranges in half so that you have half-moon slices. Layer the slices onto the brown sugar mixture, making sure to overlap the slices like shingles.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt.
In the bowl of a standmixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix on medium high eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy, 5 minutes. If using handheld electric beaters, this will take more like 8 to 10 minutes. While the mixer is still running, pour in maple syrup and cooled melted butter. Mix for another 1 minute. Add vanilla, grated ginger, and orange zest and mix for another minute. Fold in the flour mixer with a flexible spatula until combined and no pockets of flour remain.
Pour the cake batter over the orange slices. Bake until deeply golden brown and the center of the cake is set, 38 to 42 minutes.
Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife or offset spatual around the edge of the cake and remove the springform mold. Place a large plate over the cake and carefully flip the cake over. Allow the cake to continue cooling until ready to be served.