This Orange Upside Down Cake is completely vegan and is so easy to make! It is soft and moist and packed with fresh orange zest and juice and the candied orange slices on top make this dessert a showstopper!
I love to bake with citrus in the Winter because it is bright and fresh and makes me forget that it is cold outside, just for a minute. Lately, I've been on a roll with orange dessert recipes from Orange Cardamom Cookies, to Vegan Orange Olive Oil Cake to Vegan Orange Cardamom Loaf Cake.
And today, I have another: Orange Upside Down Cake! This recipe is deceptively simple and so stunning. The orange slices in my recipe are lightly candied so you can eat the peel. And the batter is packed with orange zest and juice for fresh orange flavor in every single bite!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is simple to make and incredibly gorgeous!
- It uses fresh orange zest, juice and orange slices, so each bite is packed with flavor.
- This Orange Upside Down Cake is vegan, eggless and dairy-free, so anyone can enjoy it.
- The cake is tender and moist.
- And most importantly, it is absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Oranges: I used Cara Cara oranges, beacuse they are my favorite, but navel or blood oranges will work, too!
Non-Dairy Butter: I love Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks.
Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar is added to the Vegan Orange Upside Down Cake batter, and also is combined with water to make a simple syrup to lightly candy the orange slices.
Non-Dairy Milk: I used oat milk, but any non-dairy milk will work!
Instructions
Step 1. First, slice 2 small oranges into ¼" rounds.
Then, in a 2-3 quart saucepan, combine sugar and water. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a simmer and the sugar dissolves.
Next, reduce the heat to low and simmer the orange slices for 5 minutes. Then, remove from heat and allow the orange slices to sit in the syrup for 5 more minutes.
Step 2. Using a spatula, carefully remove the orange slices from the syrup and place them onto a wire cooling rack to cool while you mix the cake batter.
Step 3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, non-dairy milk, melted non-dairy butter, orange juice, vanilla and orange zest. Whisk to combine.
Then, add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to form the batter.
Step 4. Place the candied orange slices at the bottom of a prepared 8-inch cake pan in a circular pattern.
You may use more or less slices depending on the size of your oranges!
Step 5. Pour the cake batter over the orange slices and use a spatula to spread it out evenly.
Bake the Orange Upside Down Cake in a 350* F oven for 39-42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Step 6. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and gently flip it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe FAQs
To store, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Or freeze for up to a month.
15 minutes is the perfect amount of time. The bottom of the cake will still be warm enough to release easily.
Butter the pan liberally and insert a parchment circle into the bottom of the cake pan.
Then, when you are ready to flip the cake, run a knife around the edge to ensure the cake is not sticking to the sides of the pan.
Expert Recipe Tips
Be sure to line the cake pan with a parchment circle to prevent sticking!
When the orange slices are simmering in the syrup, gently press them down occasionally with a rubber spatula to ensure each slice is coated with the syrup.
I used 14 candied orange slices at the bottom of my cake pan. If your oranges are larger, you will use fewer orange slices and that's okay!
Looking for More Dessert Recipes?
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📖 Recipe
Orange Upside Down Cake (Vegan!)
Equipment
- 1 8 Inch Round Cake Pan
- 1 2 Quart Sauce Pan
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
To Candy the Oranges
- 2 Small Oranges, sliced into ¼" rounds see note
- 1 ¼ Cup Water
- 1 Cup Sugar
For the Orange Cake Batter
- 1 ¾ Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk
- 7 Tbsp Non-Dairy Butter, melted
- ¼ Cup Orange Juice
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Orange Zest
Instructions
- In a 2-3 quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a simmer and the sugar is completely dissolved.1 ¼ Cup Water, 1 Cup Sugar
- Reduce the heat to low, then add the orange slices to the syrup. Simmer the orange slices for 5 minutes, using a rubber spatula to gently press the oranges down to submerge them occasionally. Then, remove the pot from heat and allow the orange slices to sit in the syrup for 5 more minutes.2 Small Oranges, sliced into ¼" rounds
- Place a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet to catch any dripping syrup. Then, use a spatula to gently remove the orange slices from the syrup and place them onto the wire rack to cool while you make the cake batter.
Make the Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with non-dairy butter and insert a parchment circle into the bottom of the pan to ensure the cake doesn't stick.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.1 ¾ Cup All-Purpose Flour, 2 teaspoon Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, non-dairy milk, melted non-dairy butter, orange juice, vanilla extract and orange zest. Whisk well to combine. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk to form the batter.1 Cup Granulated Sugar, ½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk, 7 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted, ¼ Cup Orange Juice, 1 teaspoon Orange Zest, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Place the candied orange slices into the bottom of the prepared cake pan, starting in the center of the pan, and slightly overlapping each orange slice. I used 14 slices of orange, but you may need more or less depending on the size of your oranges.
- Pour the cake batter on top of the orange slices and use a spatula to evenly spread it out. Bake the cake in a 350* F oven for 38-43 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. Then, run a paring knife around the outside of the cake and gently flip it onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Serve.
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