BLOOD ORANGE AND CARDAMOM UPSIDE DOWN CAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM

BLOOD ORANGE AND CARDAMOM UPSIDE – DOWN CAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Serves 6-8

Upside-down cakes are easy to master and beautiful to behold. A layer of caramelized sugar and sliced fruit go into a skillet and then cake batter is poured on top. The skillet goes into the oven and thirty or so minutes later, you pull it out. Flipped upside down onto a cake plate, the sugar encrusted fruit layer is on top of a lovely cake. It’s not fussy; it’s not hard. But it looks lovely and tastes like you went to lots of trouble.

In this recipe, I used blood oranges which are in season this time of year. If you can’t find them, any orange will do. Ground cardamom is used sparingly in everything: the fruit layer, the cake batter, and the whipped cream. Cardamom works beautifully with oranges adding an enticing, fragrant note. I love the way it takes this homespun upside-down cake to a more exotic place.

the fruit layer:

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp cardamom

4 blood oranges, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

for the cake batter:

1 cup cake flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

2 Tbsp orange zest

for the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp cardamom

1. ASSEMBLE THE FRUIT LAYER: Preheat the oven to 375. In a 10-inch skillet, preferably cast iron, melt the butter over MEDIUM heat. Add the brown sugar and cardamom and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat. Working from the outside in, arrange the orange slices in one even layer on top of the caramelized sugar. Set aside while you prepare the cake batter.

2. MAKE THE CAKE BATTER: In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. In large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, about 5 minutes or so on HIGH. Add the eggs, one at a time beating after each addition. Add the buttermilk, orange zest, and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, stirring until everything is combined and there are no dry spots.

3. POUR THE BATTER INTO THE SKILLET AND BAKE: Pour the cake batter over the fruit in the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. When it is done, leave it in the skillet to cool a bit, about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the skillet to loosen any stuck places. Pace a platter over the skillet and invert. The cake should fall out of the skillet and onto the platter easily. Gently lift off the skillet. Voila!

4. WHIP THE CREAM AND SERVE: While the cake is cooling in the pan, pour the cream into a medium mixing bowl. Add sugar and cardamom and beat until gentle peaks form. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with a generous dollop of whipped cream on each piece.