Sour Orange and Tequila Upside Down Cake

Name: Sour Orange and Tequila Upside Down Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 sour oranges*, thinly sliced; 1/3 cup tequila; 2 cinnamon sticks; 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter; 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour; 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 3/4 tsp kosher salt; 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk, at room temperature; 2 large eggs

by Gathered at my Table

1 9" cake

1 hr 20 min

A bright citrusy and boozy upside-down cake filled with cinnamon, tequila, and topped with a brown sugar caramel. This is definitely my favorite cake of the season. It is soft and moist, endlessly adaptable and simple to throw together. Sour oranges are marinated in tequila and then cutely arranged into a layer of brown sugar caramel, topped with a buttermilk and tequila-spiked cake batter and then baked. This cake is delicious served warm with ice cream, or leftover with a morning cup of coffee. This is a spring-inspired cake that you will make over and over again.

sour orange and tequila upside down cake

Sour Orange and Tequila Upside Down Cake

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Recipe details

Yield 1 9" cake
Time spent: Prep time: 40 Minutes Cook time: 40 Minutes Total time: 1 hr 20 min

Show Nutrition Info

Per serving

% Daily value

Ingredients

for the topping

2 sour oranges*, thinly sliced
1/3 cup tequila
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt

for the cake batter

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (227 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs

Instructions

The night before making the cake, combine sour orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and tequila in a bowl. Cover tightly and let marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9” springform cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large skillet set over medium high heat, melt 1/2 cup of butter. When the butter is melted, add the brown sugar and cook, whisking occasionally, until the brown sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly and homogenized. Whisk in the salt and then pour the caramel mixture into your prepared cake pan.
Remove the orange slices from the marinade and place in an even layer on top of the caramel in the prepared cake pan. Discard cinnamon sticks and save leftover tequila marinade for the cake batter.
In a small saucepan, place the remaining 1/2 cup of unsalted butter and cook over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the butter is foamy and fragrant, and has little browned specks. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and reserved tequila marinade until smooth and well-combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is well combined and no dry streaks remain. Whisk in the browned butter. Pour the batter over top of the orange slices.
Place your cake pan on a parchment-lined sheet tray to catch any overflowing caramel, and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, until warm enough to handle, and then carefully invert the cake onto a plate. Serve warm.

Tips

If you can't find sour oranges, don't fret! You can substitute another type of orange, like blood orange, or navel orange or cara cara in this cake. You could even play around with some other citrus (I bet limes would be fun) or even pineapple slices. Orange peels are edible, just make sure that you slice them thinly enough that they are able to soften completely during the baking time.

Comments

Nicole P on Apr 04, 2021

Yum! This cake looks delicious!

1 Reply
Brian Geenbaur on Apr 09, 2021

Can you recommend a nonalcoholic liquid to substitute for the tequila? I really dislike the taste of alcohol in cooking; even if the alcohol all evaporates off during the cooking. Thanks!

2 Reply
- Gathered at my Table on Apr 12, 2021
  
  You could substitute orange juice and highlight the orange flavor! I also have another recipe for an alcohol-free upside down cake on my blog. You could use any fruit you'd like and use this cake recipe as the base. https://www.gatheredatmytable.com/main/2019/9/6/browned-butter-nectarine-upside-down-cake-with-honey-whipped-cream
  
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