Orange-Almond Upside Down Cake

I've never made an upside down cake before but since it's a new year, I decided to give it a try. This cake turned out so well that I'm already looking forward to making it again and I hope you enjoy it as well. It may seem strange to leave the peel on the decorative orange slices but it will soften during baking while also helping to preserve the shape of the slices.

Topping Ingredients:

2 small navel oranges

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2/3 cup sugar

½ cup sliced almonds

Cake Ingredients:

2/3 cup sliced almonds

1 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Butter or lightly oil a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan or 9-inch springform pan. Lay the pan on top of a piece of parchment paper and trace the shape with a pencil. Then cut out the circle and place inside the pan, buttering or oiling the parchment circle as well. Set aside.

Finely grate the zest from one of the oranges (about 2 teaspoons) and set aside for later use in the cake batter. Roll the zested orange firmly on the counter several times to prepare it for juicing. Cut the orange in half and squeeze to yield about 3 tablespoons of juice and set aside. Trim the ends off of the second orange, quarter it lengthwise, and cut the quarters crosswise to 1/8 inch thick slices; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and sugar over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook the mixture until it is slightly darker than peanut butter, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the orange juice, which will bubble and steam rather dramatically. Return the pan to the burner and stir until the juice is fully integrated into the caramel mixture, about 1 minute. (There may be some small chunks of crystallized sugar.) Pour the caramel immediately into the cake pan and let cool for 5 minutes. 

Arrange as many of the orange slices as will fit comfortably in the pan on top of the caramel. (You will only use a small portion of the orange slices for this cake and the rest can be enjoyed in some other way.) Sprinkle the almonds in the pan and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the 2/3 cup of almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 6 minutes, stirring once. Let cool for a few minutes and then grind them in a food processor. Transfer the almond meal to a medium-sized bowl and combine with the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Using either a stand mixer or a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 4 minutes. On low speed, add the orange zest and almond extract. Next add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Now add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by ½ of the sour cream, 1/3 flour mixture, ½ sour cream, and the last 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition.

Gently, so as not to disturb the pattern of your orange topping, place dollops of the cake batter all around the pan and then smooth the surface.

Firmly tap the pan against the counter a few times to dislodge any air bubbles. (If you are using a springform pan, place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any caramel that might leak out of the bottom of the pan.) Bake the cake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating halfway through. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a rack and then invert the cake on your serving plate and remove the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: With a few timing adjustments, this recipe comes from the February/March 2014 Issue 127 of Fine Cooking magazine on page 82 by Katherine Eastman Seeley.