seasonal
RECIPES
Blood Orange Almond Cake
Turning Citrus Upside-Down by C.B. Chu PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROSMINAH BROWN
L
ike many people of a certain age, I used to rave about the pineapple upside-down cake, swooning over its juicy sunburst rings and red-dyed maraschino cherries. Now that I have evolved into a foodie snob, I scoff at its canned artificial looks and taste.
First, value your good fortune of living close to the growers of these citrus fruits. Use the fruit fresh and just-picked, before the zest stiffens and loses its flavorful oil. The fruits are juicy; keep them to a judicious amount so that the cake layer will not be weighed down when it is inverted.
My loss, really. Baking the upside-down way is an ingenious technique, which deserves to be used beyond showcasing the Hawaiian exotica. Just think: In one fell swoop you can cook the fruit and batter, seamlessly blending their flavors, concoct a sauce and be done with decorating. What could be more efficient?
Second, the juiciness can trick you. Traditionally an upside-down cake is made in a cast-iron skillet so that the porous metal breaths and heats evenly, resulting in a thick, smooth caramel sauce. The problem is that the citrus acidity might damage the skillet’s seasoned surface that you carefully maintain. These three recipes try to work around that dilemma by using a cake pan with a removable bottom and by pre-cooking the topping ingredients separately.
Winter months in Southern California are the season for kumquats, mandarins, blood oranges and our very own Meyer lemons. Many varieties bear small fruit with tender skin. Thinly sliced, rind and all, they lend themselves to be steam-baked under a blanket of butter, sugar and eggs. There is a moment of suspense when you invert the cake onto a platter and peel away the parchment paper. You gasp. The cake holds; the crown of fruit reveals its beauty in glistening hues of gold. Two of the following recipes play up the distinctive attribute of the tender rind of Meyer lemons and kumquats. A third, using blood oranges, suggests ways to handle fruits with thicker skin. As you tweak these recipes further, do keep some pointers in mind. 20 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2020
Third, line the pan with a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the pan bottom and up the side by about 1½ inches. Nip and pleat it to fit snugly. This step makes for an easy release and dripless baking. Fourth, the cake burns easily. Put the cake on a rack positioned at mid-level of the oven, about seven inches above the bottom element. If your oven offers the convection-bake feature, use it; convection-cook with heat from the back is even better. And last, serve the cakes warm and mellow. There is no need for frosting or ice cream; a bowl of Greek yogurt offers cool contrast.
