Best Blood Orange Layer Cake Recipes

UPSIDE-DOWN BLOOD ORANGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons (45 grams) butter. Add the brown sugar and lemon juice; stir until sugar melts, about 3 minutes. Scrape mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
• Grate 1/2 teaspoon zest from one of the oranges, then slice off the tops and bottoms of both oranges. Place oranges on a clean, flat surface, and slice away the rind and pith, top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit. Slice each orange crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick wheels; discard any seeds. Arrange orange wheels on top of brown sugar mixture in a single, tight layer.
• In a large bowl, whisk together orange zest, cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together remaining 2 sticks (225 grams) butter with granulated sugar. Beat in eggs, one a time, then beat in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the dry mixture by hand.
• Scrape batter into pan over oranges. Transfer to oven and bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, then run a knife along pan's edges to loosen it; invert onto a platter and cool completely before serving.

BLOOD ORANGE OLIVE OIL UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a round loose-bottomed 9-inch (23-centimeter) cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and water to make a thick paste. Spread this thinly and evenly onto the base of the cake pan and set aside.
• Zest 1 orange and add this to a large bowl with the superfine sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the zest is evenly distributed. Set aside.
• Slice both oranges as thinly as you can with the skin on and arrange the slices on top of the brown sugar base in the cake pan. You can cut some of the slices in half to create a different pattern and to fill in all the gaps.
• Add the yogurt to the bowl with the superfine sugar and whisk briefly to combine. Whisk in the eggs and olive oil. Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until smooth. Gently pour the batter on top of the orange slices, being careful not to disturb the oranges underneath.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sponge is firm to the touch and golden brown. Leave the cake in its pan to cool completely before attempting to turn it upside down. Serve with creme fraiche.

BLOOD ORANGE RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• For the ricotta pound cake: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-3-inch round cake pan with removable bottom with the melted butter and line the bottom with a 9-inch-diameter parchment paper round. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip together the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed until the mixture is very thick and falls in heavy ribbons, about 7 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, ricotta, orange juice, and vanilla. Gently add the ricotta mixture to the egg mixture and whip just until blended. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the sifted ingredients to the batter, mixing just until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not over mix. If necessary, finish folding in the sifted ingredients by hand, using a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and place on a rack in the center of the oven. Bake the cake until lightly browned on top, about 70 minutes. The cake is done when a knife blade inserted into the center comes out clean and when the top of the cake springs back lightly when touched. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, remove the cake from the pan and peel parchment paper from bottom of the cake. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap until ready to use. The Ricotta Pound Cake can be stored for up to 1 day at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 1 week. For the blood orange simple syrup: Combine the sugar with 1/3 cup water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, pour into a clean bowl, and allow to cool. Once fully cooled, stir in the blood orange concentrate until combined. The Blood Orange Simple Syrup will keep for up to 7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the blood orange curd: Soften the gelatin sheet in 2 cups cool water for 3 minutes. Combine the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar and both juices into a heatproof, nonreactive mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water) and whisk together until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture begins to thicken into a custard, 5 to 7 minutes. If using a candy thermometer, cook to 170 to 180 degrees F. Whisk the butter. The curd should be smooth and homogenous. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and whisk the gelatin into the hot mixture until fully dissolved and combined. Remove the bowl from over the water and strain the curd through a medium-mesh sieve into a clean, nonreactive mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the curd and allow to cool in the refrigerator. The Blood Orange Curd can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the cranberry orange preserves: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the cranberries and orange juice. The cranberries should still be in chunky pieces. Combine the cranberry mixture with the corn syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring every 5 minutes, cook the mixture until it boils and thickens, 15 to 20 minutes. If using a candy thermometer, cook to approx. 210 degrees F. Transfer to a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator. The Cranberry Orange Preserves can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• For the blood orange whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip together the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the Blood Orange Curd until combined, being careful not to over mix, which could make the stiffened whipped cream weak. The Blood Orange Whipped Cream should be made when ready to assemble the cake. To assemble the cake: In a small mixing bowl, gently fold together the raspberries and the Cranberry Orange Preserves until combined. Place the unwrapped pound cake on a flat work surface. Using a long serrated knife, slice off the top 1/4-inch to even out the top of the cake as necessary. Slice the cake horizontally into 3 even layers. Using a 10-inch round cake board as the bottom of a 10-by-3-inch round cake pan with removable bottom, center 1 cake layer on the cake board, cut side up. Using a pastry brush, moisten the cake layer with one-third of the Blood Orange Simple Syrup. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of Blood Orange Whipped Cream and set aside to be used to frost the top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, spread half of the remaining Blood Orange Whipped Cream onto the syrup-soaked cake layer, allowing the whipped cream to fill up the space between the cake and the cake pan. Use a rubber spatula to gently but firmly press the whipped cream down in between the side of the cake pan and the cake layer, thus essentially forming the side of the cake. Spoon half of the raspberry-cranberry preserves mixture onto the Blood Orange Whipped Cream, gently pressing the berries onto the cream. Top with a second layer of pound cake and repeat with another one-third of the simple syrup, the other half of the remaining Blood Orange Whipped Cream, and remaining raspberry-cranberry preserves mixture. Top with the final layer of cake and moisten with the remaining Blood Orange Simple Syrup. Using a long, flat spatula, evenly spread the reserved 1 1/2 cups Blood Orange Whipped Cream over the top of the cake. Tightly wrap the cake in the pan in plastic wrap and place in the freezer overnight.

BLOOD ORANGE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with wax paper.
• Coat wax paper with cooking spray.
• Combine eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and salt in a bowl.
• Beat with a mixer at high speed 2 minutes.
• Gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until mixture is thick and pale.
• Gently fold flour into egg mixture, 1/4 cup at a time.
• Spoon batter into prepared pan.
• Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
• To prepare filling, place a colander in a 2-quart glass measure or medium bowl.
• Line colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to extend over outside edges. Spoon yogurt into colander. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 12 hours.
• Spoon yogurt cheese into a large bowl; discard liquid. Add honey to yogurt, stirring well with a whisk.
• Combine cream and powdered sugar in bowl, beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form.
• Gently stir one-fourth of the cream mixture into yogurt mixture; gently fold in remaining cream mixture.
• Cover and chill 15 minutes.
• Arrange blood orange sections in a single layer on several layers of paper towels, and let stand 5 minutes.
• Reserve half of the sections; roughly chop remaining sections. Cover and chill.
• To prepare syrup, combine juice and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.
• Reduce heat; simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup.
• Remove from heat; cool.
• Split cake in half horizontally using a serrated knife (I use unwaxed dental floss) place bottom layer, cut side up, on a plate.
• Brush with 2 tablespoons syrup.
• Spread with half of yogurt mixture, leaving a 1/4-inch border.
• Sprinkle chopped blood orange mixture mixture evenly over yogurt mixture.
• Top with the remaining cake layer, cut side down. Brush the top layer with remaining syrup; spread with remaining yogurt mixture.
• Top cake with reserved whole orange sections.