Orange Upside Down Cake

Homemade Orange Upside Down Cake is sweet, tangy, and bursting with citrus flavor. Fresh oranges topped with a fluffy and moist cake batter are baked to perfection and finished with a sweet citrus glaze. This delicious and show-stopping dessert will tantalize your taste buds and impress your guests.

Orange upside-down cake is the perfect dessert for entertaining. It can be made ahead of time and is a beautiful way to end any meal. As you've probably guessed, this delicious cake uses the same method as an upside-down pineapple cake.

First, orange slices are arranged on the bottom of a cake pan. Then a moist buttery cake batter is poured on top of the orange slices and baked to perfection.

Once the cake has cooled slightly, the pan is turned onto a platter with the orange layer on top and drizzled with a sweet citrus glaze. The texture of the oranges with the sweet and fluffy cake make an irresistible combination.

The most incredible thing about upside-down cakes is that they always look like a ton of effort went into making them; however, they are effortless to create!

Save this simple orange cake recipe for the perfect summer dessert!

Ingredients

A bowl of sliced oranges, flour, granulated sugar, milk, eggs, baking powder and vanilla extract on a white counter top.

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour works best in this recipe. When baking, it is essential to measure flour correctly to avoid a dry and dense cake. See the section on Tips For This Recipe for two easy ways to measure your flour correctly every time.
Eggs: Eggs work as a binder and add moisture, fat, and a deliciously rich flavor to cakes. If a recipe does not state the size, generally, a rule of thumb is that the recipe calls for large eggs.
Salted Butter: I enjoy this recipe with salted butter; however, you may use unsalted butter if preferred.
Whole Milk: Whole milk adds an incredible richness to this cake recipe. Buttermilk is also an excellent substitute for an even richer flavor.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality vanilla extract for the best results. This vanilla extract from Nielsen Massey is my favorite. It may be expensive, but it is truly the best!
Granulated Sugar & Baking Powder: These are common ingredients in most cake recipes. When baking, make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh.
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is mixed with fresh orange juice to create a delicious smooth glaze on the cake while it is still warm. The cake soaks up the glaze creating an incredible punch of citrus flavor.
Fresh Oranges: I prefer to use mandarin oranges in this recipe because they are smaller, and you can create a beautiful design with their size. Mandarin oranges, blood oranges, or navel oranges also work great.

How to make Orange Upside Down Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cream ½ cup butter and one cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth in a large mixing bowl.
Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix on low until no clumps remain and the egg yolks are incorporated.

On the left a large glass mixing bowl with granulated sugar and a stick of butter and on the right the same bowl with the butter and sugar creamed together with eggs, milk, and vanilla extract added.

Next, combine the flour, baking powder, in a medium bowl with a whisk, and then add the flour mixture to the cake batter.
Fold the dry ingredients into the batter with a spatula until they are fully incorporated.

A large glass mixing bowl with flour and baking powder added to cake batter and another glass mixing bowl with the flour mixed in to the cake batter.

Grease the inside of a 9-inch round cake pan with the remaining two tablespoons of butter, making sure to get the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining ¼th cup of sugar on top of the butter on the base of the cake pan. Then, slice the oranges into ¼-inch slices and place them in a single layer over the sugar.
Then, pour the batter over the orange slices and bake the cake for 40 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

A cake pan with sliced oranges layers on the bottom in a circular pattern and a cake pan with cake batter poured on top of the sliced oranges.

Allow the cake to cool slightly while preparing the glaze by whisking the orange juice and powdered sugar together until smooth.
Then, place a wire rack or a cake platter inverted on top of the cake pan. With one hand on the platter and one hand on the pan, carefully turn them over simultaneously, so the cake pan faces upside down on top of the platter or rack. Gently lift the pan, and the cake should slide out easily. Drizzle the orange upside-down cake with the citrus glaze. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

A cake pan with a baked cake resting on a white counter and an orange upside down cake with orange glaze drizzled on top resting on a wooden platter.

Tips For This Recipe

Grease the pan: Make sure to grease the inside of the cake pan well with the butter. Properly greasing your pan will ensure that the orange cake slides out easily from the pan once done.
Room temperature ingredients: When baking; it is a general rule that the ingredients be room temperature unless otherwise specified. The milk, eggs, and butter should all be at room temperature to ensure they combine evenly.
Use organic oranges: Since this recipe uses the orange rind in the slices, sticking with organic oranges is recommended. If you can not find organic oranges, you can slice away the peel of the oranges before layering them on the bottom of the pan.
Measure flour correctly: I prefer to use a food scale and weigh my flour down to the gram when baking. If you do not own a food scale, this article from Taste of Home explains how to measure flour correctly.
Avoid overmixing: Once the dry ingredients are added to the batter, only mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated. An overmixed batter will result in a dense and tough cake.

An orange upside down cake on a wooden cake stand with three gold forks nearby on a white counter top.

Substitutions & Variations

Substitutions

Gluten-Free Flour - Almond flour may be substituted for all-purpose flour, creating a wonderful nutty flavor but a slightly denser texture. Almond flour orange cake is one of my favorite substitutions when cooking for gluten-free guests.
Use a variety of oranges - Blood oranges, cara cara oranges, and navel oranges.
Brown sugar - When sprinkling sugar on the bottom of the greased cake pan, substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar. Brown sugar will create a caramelized flavor you would typically get from a pineapple upside down cake.
Boxed cake mix - If you are in a pinch for time, boxed cake mix is a great substitute. Try using different flavors like coconut cake mix or chocolate cake mix for a chocolate orange upside down cake.
Buttermilk - Instead of regular whole milk, buttermilk will create an incredibly rich and delicious cake.
Top with whipped cream - Elevate this moist orange cake with dollops of whipped cream on top.

A large upside down orange cake on a wooden platter with a piece missing.

Variations

Add orange zest - Add the zest of one orange to the cake batter before pouring it into the cake pan and fold in with a spatula until incorporated. Fresh orange zest adds another layer of fantastic citrus flavor.
Add pineapple slices - Alternate pineapple and orange slices, creating a sweeter and more tropical flavor. This will also create a beautiful pop of color pattern to the upside-down cake, creating an incredible presentation.
Orange Ginger Cake - Add one teaspoon of ground ginger to the cake batter to create a warm and spicy flavor.
Cranberry Orange Cake - Cranberries and oranges are a classic flavor combination. Fresh cranberries add a tartness to the cake that balances the sweetness of the oranges. Cranberry orange upside down cake is perfect for enjoying during the holidays.
Chocolate Orange Cake - Incorporate cocoa powder or chocolate chips in the batter to create a rich and decadent chocolate flavor.
Orange Coconut Cake - Add ½ cup of shredded coconut to the cake batter before baking. Shredded coconut transforms this cake into a fresh tropical dessert perfect for summer.

An upside down orange cake on a wooden platter with one slice removed and placed na white serving plate with three gold forks nearby.

Storage Suggestions

Once completely cool, store this orange upside down cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days.

To freeze this cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container or a zip-lock bag. Wrapping the cake will protect the cake from freezer burn and help keep it fresh longer.

Allow the orange cake to thaw at room temperature overnight when ready to enjoy.

It is important to note freezing can affect the texture of the cake and orange slices, so refrigerating is preferred over freezing.

A gold fork with a bite of orange cake resting on it in with a slice of orange cake in the background.

FAQs

Can I use canned oranges instead of fresh oranges?

While fresh oranges are always best, canned oranges can be used in a pinch. Keep in mind that the texture and flavor of canned oranges may be different and less visually appealing than fresh oranges.

Can an orange upside down cake be made ahead of time?

Yes, this cake can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to five days; however, the texture and flavor are best when served within two days.

Can I make this orange upside down cake gluten-free?

A great gluten-free option would be to use almond flour, giving this cake a wonderful nutty flavor. If using almond flour, make sure to omit the baking powder.

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