This orange upside-down cake is tart, sweet, tender, and beautifully moist. It looks gourmet, but don’t be fooled! It’s so easy to make, uses simple pantry ingredients, and comes together very quickly.
Baking with oranges is such a joy. That bright citrus smell filling the kitchen is an instant mood booster!
I’ve made everything from whole orange cake to orange madeleines to chocolate orange tart, but this upside-down orange cake might be my favorite yet. With glossy, caramelized oranges on top and a soft, buttery crumb, this cake is such a lovely balance of citrusy brightness and comforting sweetness. It's a wonderful cake for afternoon tea or for easy entertaining.
Love citrus flavor? You might also like strawberry lemon bundt cake or orange basque cheesecake.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
✨ The upside-down orange olive oil cake is fluffy and tangy with a beautiful, glossy top that makes it perfect for special occasions!
✨The orange upside-down cake recipe is really simple. The ingredients are basic, prep time is short, and you don't need any special equipment.
✨ It’s zesty from the oranges and naturally moist. Olive oil and yogurt keep the cake soft for days.
✨ If you love desserts that look impressive without stressing you out, this one’s for you.
Recipe Ingredients
Oranges: Use any kind of thin-skinned oranges, like Valencia, Kinnow, or Navel oranges. I cut the peels off, but you can keep them on. If possible, use organic oranges.
Flour: I use whole wheat flour for a slightly nutty flavor. You can easily switch to all-purpose flour.
Sugar: I used regular granulated white sugar. Feel free to swap it with brown sugar for a deeper caramelized flavor.
Plain yogurt: This keeps the cake tender and moist. Greek yogurt works just as well.
Olive oil: Adds fruity kicks to the caramelized orange cake.
Orange juice needs to be freshly squeezed. It adds so much flavor to the cake!
Please see the recipe card below for full information about ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Orange Upside-Down Cake
Recipe Video
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven. Grease an 8-inch loose-bottom or springform pan very well. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter it very well, too.
Step 2: Sprinkle sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the orange slices on top.
Step 3: Mix the sugar and orange zest in a bowl with your fingertips.
Step 4: In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the orange-flavored sugar.
Step 5: In another bowl, whisk olive oil, yogurt, and orange juice.
Step 6: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix gently. Do not overmix.
Step 7: Carefully pour the batter over the arranged orange slices.
Step 8: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 9: Let the cake rest for 20-25 minutes, then carefully invert onto a cooling rack or plate. Allow to cool. Scatter some chopped pistachios on top, slice, and serve!
Top Tips
- Slice the oranges with their skin on. Then use a sharp knife to cut off the peel. This helps keep the orange slices intact, and the fruit doesn't lose its juice when you slice it.
- Make sure the pan is greased well, and also remember to generously butter the parchment paper lining at the bottom of the tin. This will help the cake slide right out easily.
- Because orange slices are round, there are gaps in the topping. Fill it with small slices of the fruit.
- Don’t rush the flip. Letting the cake rest for at least 20 minutes helps the caramelized sugar and tangy orange juices seep into the cake and settle down.
How To Serve
I love to let the flavors of the orange upside-down cake shine. A light garnish of pistachio slivers adds a lovely crunch and a pop of color.
This orange cake is best served warm. It pairs wonderfully with vanilla ice cream or lightly whipped cream.
It’s also perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, making it an ideal afternoon treat.
Recipe FAQs
An upside-down cake is baked with fruit and sugar at the bottom of the pan, then flipped after baking, so the fruit becomes the topping. Pineapple upside down cake is the classic version, but oranges work wonderfully, giving the cake a fresh flavor. You can even make an upside down apple cake recipe.
You can bake the oranges with or without the peel. In both cases, you’ll need to slice the fruit nice and thin with the skin on and remove any seeds lurking in there! The orange slices get cooked through and are almost candied. If you prefer peel-free oranges, slice first, then trim off the peel.
Surprisingly, no. I have also baked this cake with peel, and it wasn’t bitter at all. The thin slices cook through, become caramelized, and add flavor rather than bitterness.
More Easy Citrus Cakes
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this upside-down orange cake as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Orange Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 3 Oranges, thinly sliced
- 1 3/4 cup Wholewheat flour
- 1 1/4 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 1/4 cup Plain yogurt You can also use Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup Olive oil
- 1/3 cup Freshly squeezed orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C/ 350 F . Grease a loose-bottom 8" pan very well. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter it well.
- De-seed the orange slices and cut the peel off the slices carefully.3 Oranges, thinly sliced
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar at the bottom of the pan. Arrange the orange slices on top of the sugar.2 tbsp Sugar
- Combine sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Mix well with your fingertips.1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Sugar, Zest of 1 orange
- Sift the wholewheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.1 3/4 cup Wholewheat flour, 1 1/4 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1/4 tsp Salt
- Whisk in the orange-zested sugar.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, yogurt, and orange juice.1 1/4 cup Plain yogurt, 1/3 cup Olive oil, 1/3 cup Freshly squeezed orange juice
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well, but please don't overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, on top of the oranges, carefully.
- Bake at 180 C / 350 F for 40-45 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake rest for 20-25 minutes before turning it out on a platter. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Slice the oranges with their skin on. Then use a sharp knife to cut off the peel. This helps keep the orange slices intact, and the fruit doesn't lose its juice when you slice it.
- Make sure the pan is greased well, and also remember to generously butter the parchment paper lining at the bottom of the tin. This will help the cake slide right out easily.
- Because orange slices are round, there are gaps in the topping. Fill it with small slices of the fruit.
- Don’t rush the flip. Letting the cake rest for at least 20 minutes helps the caramelized sugar and tangy orange juices seep into the cake and settle down.
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