My first ever contact with Blood Oranges was many, many years ago as a child. I didn’t understand what they were, why they were different from ‘normal’ oranges and of course, putting the word ‘blood’ before ‘orange’ is one sure fire way to put small kids off eating these. So I didn’t, or maybe I did but I just didn’t realise it. Either way, I don’t recall eating them again until a few years ago when Blood Oranges ascended to the ranks of bona fide “food trend” and then they were everywhere.

Taking the decision to revisit Blood Oranges has to be one of my better ones. I have revelled in their versatility, whether that’s in drinks, sweet or savoury dishes. You will find other recipes with this hallowed fruit amongst the blog, and I can declare, somewhat immodestly, that every single one of them are totally banging – and that includes this recipe too! Laughably simple to make, and absolutely flipping delicious, please do yourself a favour and get your fill of the rest of this year’s Blood Orange season and make this Upside Down cake immediately. Clotted cream is a non-negotiable. I mean it.

Ingredients:

For the upside down bit…

• 50g softened butter
• 50g golden caster sugar
• 4 or 5 Blood Oranges

For the Cake batter…

• 100g soft butter
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 100g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1tsp vanilla paste
• 2 large free range eggs

Method:

• Set the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (fan preferably).
• Zest two of the oranges into a bowl. Using a whisk, beat together the butter, sugar and orange zest from the topping ingredients until light and fluffy.
• Spread the butter and sugar mix over the bottom and sides of some form of 20cm cake tin…whatever you have to hand will work!
• Top and tail the blood oranges. Using a sharp knife, cut down the length of each orange deep enough to take off all the skin and the pith exposing the jewelled juicy flesh of the orange. Don’t worry if you take some of the orange flesh off too, you’ll be making using of this later!
• Slice the oranges into 2cm slices. Pop out any of the pips and the bit of pith that runs down through the centre of the orange and place the orange slices into the buttered cake tin.
• In a clean bowl, place all of the cake ingredients together and whisk. No need to bother sieving the flour.
• Spoon out the cake batter ontop of the sliced oranges and place in the oven to bake for about 30 minutes. Test with a skewer and if it comes out clean then it’s done.
• Remember those left over pieces of orange peel? Squeeze any juice from those pieces and then brush over the cooked cake mixture, then leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 5 mins.
• Use a pallet knife to work the cake free from the sides of the tin, place a plate over the top of the cake tin, turn over quickly, knock on the bottom and lift off the cake tin as your cake slides out.

Slice and serve with clotted cream and, seriously…ENJOY!