Sault's Upside-Down Blood Orange Cake

This striking dessert features a stained-glass topping of jewel-like, caramelized blood orange slices resting atop a moist, citrus-infused crumb. Balancing the sophisticated bitterness of the rind with a honeyed sweetness, it is a visually stunning centerpiece that embodies the elegant, estate-grown charm of the Sault kitchen.

Ingredients

Orange Slices

2 blood oranges

2 cup castor sugar

2 cup of water

30 grams butter

Cake Batter

2 blood oranges

6 eggs

250g caster sugar

250g almond meal

60g melted butter

Method

Orange Slices

1. Top and tail oranges, slicing into 3-4 mm rounds
2. Bring water and sugar to the boil in a small saucepan.
3. Add orange slices to sugar syrup, reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
4. Add butter and cook for 3 more minutes .
5. Strain oranges and reserve cooking liquid.
6. Line a 30cm spring form cake tin with greaseproof baking paper.
7. Carefully arrange prepared orange slices on the bottom of the tin, adding 1/5 of cooking liquid.
8. Keep the other 4/5 t serve with cooked cake.

Cake

1. Pre heat the oven to 160 degrees celsius.
2. Place whole oranges in a pot, cover completely with water.
3. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, (you can use a small plate or smaller pot to hold oranges under the water).
4. Remove cooked whole oranges, discard cooking water.
5. Cut oranges in half, remove any seeds, puree in food processor or with stick mixer.
6. Add orange puree to a large bowl with almond meal and melted butter.
7. Using a stand mixer, add 250g castor sugar and 6 eggs.
8. Whisk vigorously, until pale and doubled in volume, add egg sugar mix to bowl with orange puree almond meal and melted butter.
9. Gently fold until it’s all incorporated.
10. Pour cake batter over orange slices in cake tin, gently so arranged slices in cake tin stay in place.
11. Cook for approx. 45-50 minutes (when skewer comes out clean) remove side of spring form cake tin, invert cake onto serving dish, remove grease proof paper.

Serve with cream and reserved orange sugar