Description
A vibrant and moist Vegan Blood Orange Upside-Down Cake featuring fresh blood orange slices caramelized with vegan butter and sugar, topped with a tender, fluffy plant-based batter. This delightful cake is perfect for a bright, citrusy dessert that’s completely dairy-free and full of fresh flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Caramelized Orange Base
- 5–6 medium blood oranges
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegan butter (or extra-virgin olive oil)
- 3 tablespoons organic cane sugar (or raw sugar or demerara sugar)
For the Cake Batter
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 heaping teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup plant-based milk (low-fat Oatly oat milk or almond milk)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (omit for nut-free or substitute with more vanilla extract)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) to prepare for baking the cake evenly.
- Prepare the Pan: Grease a 9-inch springform pan with the vegan butter or olive oil. Evenly sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of cane sugar on the bottom and partly up the sides, then tap and tilt the pan to coat the surface thoroughly.
- Slice and Arrange Oranges: Peel the blood oranges and slice them into thin rounds (1/8 to 1/4 inch). Arrange the slices in overlapping concentric circles to cover the entire bottom of the pan, cutting some slices in half if needed to cover gaps.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Stir them thoroughly to distribute all ingredients evenly.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk, olive oil, sugar (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp), apple cider vinegar, almond extract, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous.
- Make the Batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth with no flour streaks or lumps remaining.
- Assemble the Cake: Pour the batter over the arranged blood orange slices in the pan. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the top evenly. Tap the pan on your countertop gently to release any trapped air pockets.
- Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs and the cake feels tender and springy.
- Cool and Invert: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges if necessary, unclasp the springform ring, and carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely, revealing the gorgeous caramelized blood orange top.
Notes
- You can substitute vegan butter with extra-virgin olive oil for a lighter alternative.
- Use almond milk or other plant-based milks if oat milk is not available.
- For a nut-free version, omit almond extract and increase vanilla extract.
- Make sure to arrange the orange slices carefully for a beautiful presentation.
- The cake should be moist and tender; avoid overbaking to prevent drying out.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Western
Keywords: Vegan blood orange cake, upside-down cake, vegan dessert, plant-based cake, blood orange recipe, dairy-free cake
