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Orange Upside Down Cake on a cake plate.
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Orange Upside Down Cake (Vegan!)

This Orange Upside Down Cake is completely vegan and is so easy to make! The cake is soft and moist and packed with fresh orange zest and juice and the candied orange slices on top make this cake a showstopper!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 206kcal
Cost: $5

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.

Notes

I used Cara Cara oranges, but you can also use naval oranges or blood oranges.
You will need between 12-16 slices for the bottom of your cake pan, depending on the size of your oranges.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 86IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg