If you've never made a blood orange upside-down cake before, this is the one to start with. It comes together in one bowl, takes just over an hour from start to finish, and when you flip it onto the plate - honestly, it's one of those moments. That deep red-and-orange top looks like something from a bakery window, but you made it in your own kitchen on a Tuesday night.
The batter uses olive oil instead of butter and Greek yogurt for moisture, which means this cake stays soft for days. It's not too sweet, it's got a gentle citrus kick from fresh blood orange juice and zest, and the cornmeal gives it just a little texture that makes it feel really special. Blood orange season in the US typically runs January through March, so this is prime time to grab them at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods and make the most of them.
📷 Recipe Snapshot
✅ Recipe: Easy Blood Orange Upside-Down Cake
⏲️ Time: 20 min prep | 35 min bake
👥 Serves: 8
🍽 Calories: 288 kcal
🌏 Cuisine: American with a Mediterranean twist
🍰 Type: Dessert
🍊 Notes: Citrusy, moist, lightly sweet
🥄 Key Ingredients: Blood oranges, olive oil, Greek yogurt, honey
Jump to:
Blood oranges are only around for a short window - January through March - and they disappear fast from store shelves. If you spot them at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods right now, grab a bag. This cake is exactly what they were made for. That deep red juice caramelizes in the pan and creates a sticky, glossy top layer that looks like you spent hours on it. You didn't.
What sets this apart from your standard upside-down cake is the olive oil and yogurt base. No butter, no heavy crumb. It stays tender for days, making it perfect for baking on Sunday and slicing throughout the week. The honey at the bottom of the pan does all the work - it caramelizes around the blood orange slices as it bakes, and you get that gorgeous, jammy topping when you flip it. No frosting needed. If you like simple baked cakes like this one, this creamy lemon layer cake is another favourite worth trying.
💗 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It looks incredibly impressive, but the method is genuinely simple
- One bowl batter - barely any washing up
- Olive oil and yogurt keep it moist for 3 to 4 days
- Naturally lighter than a butter cake - no heavy, dense crumb
- Blood orange season makes this a limited-time treat worth making now
- Works without a stand mixer - a hand mixer or even a whisk does the job
🥧 Ingredients
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Blood oranges - look for firm, heavy ones with no soft spots. Moro variety gives the deepest red color inside. Available at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods from January through March.
- Olive oil - use a light or mild olive oil, not extra virgin. Extra virgin has too strong a flavor that can overpower the citrus.
- Greek yogurt - full-fat gives the best texture and moisture. Low-fat works but the crumb will be slightly less tender. If you love baking with yogurt, this fluffy yogurt cake is worth bookmarking, too.
- Cornmeal - fine cornmeal gives a smoother crumb, coarse cornmeal adds a little more texture and bite. Both work - it comes down to personal preference. Cornmeal works beautifully in baking - this easy cornbread cheesecake is another great example.
- Honey - if your honey is thick and set, warm it for 10 seconds in the microwave before using. It incorporates much more easily into the batter.
- Unwaxed oranges - this matters for the zest. Waxed skin is coated with food-grade shellac, and you don't want that in your cake. If you can only find waxed oranges, scrub them well under hot water first.
♻️ Substitutes & Variations
- Honey → Maple syrup works beautifully here and gives a slightly deeper, more caramel-like base layer.
- Greek yogurt → Sour cream is a direct swap; use the same quantity. Full-fat works best.
- All-purpose flour → A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works well if you need a gluten-free blood orange upside-down cake - make sure your blend contains xanthan gum.
- Cornmeal → Skip it and replace with the same weight of all-purpose flour if you don't have it. The texture will be a little softer but still great.
- Blood oranges: Navel or Cara Cara oranges can substitute outside blood orange season. You won't get the dramatic red color but the cake is just as good.
- Want to try something different? I've been thinking about arranging one layer of blood orange and one layer of regular orange slices - double the citrus, more moisture from the fruit. I haven't tested it yet, but I'm convinced it would work.
👩🍳 How To Make Blood Orange Upside Down Cake
Step 1: Wash the blood oranges, pat them dry, and slice them thinly. Use unwaxed organic oranges if possible.
Step 2: Grease the pan, drizzle honey evenly, and arrange the orange slices in a single layer.
Step 3: Beat the eggs with honey and a pinch of salt until pale and foamy. Add olive oil, vanilla, orange zest, juice, and yogurt, and mix until combined.
Step 4: Mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then fold them into the wet mixture.
Step 5: Pour the batter over the oranges and smooth the top.
Step 6: Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Step 7: Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then flip it carefully onto a serving plate.
*See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
★ A little tip: Before you juice your oranges, zest both skins first. Use the zest from one orange in the batter. The zest from the second orange - add it to a small jar with 1 tablespoon sugar, press it down with a spoon, seal the lid, and refrigerate. It keeps well and is ready to use in your next cake.
💭 Expert Tips
- Use unwaxed oranges-you're using the zest, so organic or unwaxed is preferred. Waxed skin can leave a bitter aftertaste in the zest.
- Slice the oranges into thin slices; don't caramelise them, as this can make the top layer uneven after flipping.
- Don't skip the resting time - 10 minutes in the pan before flipping is the sweet spot. Too short and it falls apart; too long and it sticks.
- Warm your honey slightly if it's very thick - it spreads more evenly across the bottom of the pan.
- Room-temperature eggs yield more volume when beaten. Remove them from the fridge 20 minutes before you start.
☕ Serving Suggestions
This cake is good on its own - genuinely. But if you want to dress it up:
- A spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream on the side cuts through the citrus beautifully
- Crème fraîche works even better if you can find it. Or try this Greek yogurt cream cheese frosting - lighter than regular frosting and gorgeous on top
- A drizzle of this simple berry dessert sauce pairs beautifully with the citrus
- A small scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside a warm slice is hard to argue with
- For brunch, serve at room temperature with strong coffee or a blood orange mimosa
❓ Easy Blood Orange Upside Down Cake FAQs
Yes - it actually gets better on day two. The moisture from the oranges settles into the crumb overnight. Bake it the day before, store it covered at room temperature, and flip it fresh before serving. If you've already flipped it, just cover it loosely and leave it out - don't refrigerate, it dries out.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, wrap individual slices and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Yes. Beat the eggs by hand with a whisk for about 4 to 5 minutes - you want real volume here, so don't rush it. Everything else can be stirred by hand with no issues.
It has the same principle as a classic pineapple upside-down cake - caramelized fruit on the bottom, simple batter poured over - but the olive oil and yogurt base make it lighter and more modern. Think of it as a traditional technique with a Mediterranean twist.
A 9-inch round pan is ideal. An 8-inch pan works, but the cake will be slightly taller and may need an extra 5 minutes in the oven. A 9x13 rectangular pan works too - adjust baking time to 25 to 28 minutes and check early.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Blood Orange Upside Down Cake
Video
Equipment
- 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan - light or dark both work
- Hand mixer, stand mixer or a balloon whisk
- Zester or fine grater
Ingredients
For the pan:
- 2 whole blood oranges thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoon honey or 1½ tablespoon stevia, see substitutes
For the batter:
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup fresh blood orange juice (from 2 oranges - zest first, then juice)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 tablespoon honey OR 2 tablespoon stevia
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup fine cornmeal (or polenta)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 unwaxed organic orange
Instructions
- Prep the pan and preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (190°C). Grease your cake pan well with butter or a neutral oil spray. Drizzle 3 tablespoon of honey evenly across the bottom of the pan. Slice your blood oranges into thin rounds - around ¼ inch thick - and arrange them over the honey in a single layer. Set the pan aside.2 whole blood oranges, 3 tablespoon honey
- Beat the eggs: In a large bowl, beat the 3 eggs with the honey or stevia sugar, depending on what you are using, and a pinch of salt for 5 minutes using a hand or stand mixer on medium-high, until the mixture has roughly doubled in volume and looks pale and slightly foamy. This step matters - it gives the cake lift.3 large eggs, 4 tablespoon honey OR 2 tablespoon stevia, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the wet ingredients: With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the olive oil, then add the vanilla extract and orange zest. Mix until just combined. In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the orange juice, yogurt, and honey (or stevia). Pour this into the egg mixture and whisk for another 30 seconds.⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup fresh blood orange juice (from 2 oranges - zest first, then juice), Zest of 1 unwaxed organic orange, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.1½ cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup fine cornmeal (or polenta), 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Bring it together: Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold gently until just combined. Don't overmix - stop as soon as you can't see dry flour. Overmixing makes cakes tough, and we don't want that.
- Pour and bake: Pour the batter over the blood orange slices in the prepared pan. Smooth the top gently with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and flip: Leave the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes - not longer. Run a knife around the edge, place your serving plate face-down over the pan, and flip in one confident move. Lift the pan off slowly. That's your moment.
Notes
- Blood oranges are in season January through March in the US. Outside of season, Cara Cara or navel oranges work as a substitute.
- For a gluten free blood orange upside down cake, substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum.
- Do not refrigerate - this cake stores best at room temperature.
Nutrition
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, I'm Claudia. I started JoinYourLife six years ago during the pandemic and never looked back. My mission is simple - make healthy cooking feel easy and enjoyable for busy families.
Megan says
I love how this blood orange cake turned out! The olive oil and yogurt made it so moist and the oranges on top were gorgeous!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Thanks, Megan! I’m so glad you loved it—the olive oil and yogurt really do make it super moist, and those blood orange slices on top are such a simple way to make it look pretty too.
Tracy says
This cake is absolutely gorgeous AND delicious. I love the simplicity, too.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Thanks, Tracy! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. I love that it’s simple but still looks and tastes amazing too.
Emily says
Ohhh, this is so pretty! It woke me right up from my hibernation with all the citrus flavor and pretty blood oranges and I loved how juicy it was!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Thanks, Emily! I’m so glad it woke you up—those juicy blood oranges really do make it feel bright and fresh.
Lora says
This cake sounds stunning and perfect for citrus season. That glossy blood orange topping must look incredible when you flip it onto the plate.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
I’m thrilled you like it, Lora! That glossy blood orange topping really does steal the show when it’s flipped onto the plate.
Kade says
This blood orange upside-down cake is a beautiful citrus dessert with vibrant slices of blood orange baked into a soft, buttery cake. It’s bright, slightly sweet, and perfect for showcasing seasonal citrus.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kade! I love serving it with a little dollop of yogurt or cream—it really brings out the citrus even more.
swathi says
Thanks for sharing this recipe, first time made upside down cake with blood organge. So good perfect taste.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
So happy you tried it, Swathi! Next time, try adding a sprinkle of toasted almonds on top—it adds a nice crunch that goes really well with the oranges.
Izzy says
I haven't baked with blood oranges before, the whole family enjoyed this cake a lot!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
I’m so glad your family enjoyed it, Izzy! When I first baked this cake, I was amazed at how the blood oranges made it feel so fresh and special—it really lifted the whole dessert.
Anu says
This turned out so delicious, we love citrus-flavored cakes at our home and so glad that I tried this. The sweetness was just about right and the citrus from fresh blood orange juice and zest along with the texture of the cornmeal made it taste even better!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
I’m so glad you tried it, Anu! I remember the first time I baked this, the aroma of blood oranges filling the kitchen completely won me over—it made the whole baking experience so joyful.
Sarah says
This blood orange upside-down cake turned out delicious. I used maple syrup instead of honey. Really good!!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sarah! I love hearing about swaps like that—maple syrup gives it such a warm, rich twist that’s perfect for this cake.
Travelling Teacher Shenanigans says
This looks so delicious and easy to make. I might have a go at making this on Mother's day for dessert!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Sounds like a great idea! This cake’s really easy to make, and it always feels extra special when you serve it.
Emily & Rachel says
This is such a beautiful cake! We love using olive oil in cakes, and it works so nicely with the citrus here.