Turning Citrus Upside-Down

Like 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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Recipes

Blood Orange Almond Cake

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake

2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 teaspoon orange juice

Pinch of salt

2 blood oranges 1

navel orange 3

tablespoons grated zest 1

1 ⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 cup blanched almond flour, toasted

2 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 ⁄2 cup whole milk

1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons raspberry jam

1 tablespoon water or brandy

Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare a 9-inch spring-form cake pan with removable bottom. Cut a circle of parchment paper large enough to cover the bottom of the cake pan and up the side for about 1½ inches. Line the pan, snugly pleating and nipping the paper to fit. Set aside.

In a small, thick-bottomed saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and grease the parchment paper lining the cake pan. In the same pan heat ½ cup sugar, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon orange juice until the syrup turns a light brown. Swirl it occasionally; do not stir or the sugar will crystallize. Away from heat add 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour the syrup into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Grate the zest of the oranges to make 3 tablespoons. Set aside.

Cut off the top and bottom of an orange. Place it on a flat surface and cut away the rind and pith, following the curve of the fruit. Slice crosswise into 4–5 sections. Repeat with the rest of the oranges; you should have 14–15 slices. Cut 6 slices into halves. Position a slice of blood orange in the center of the prepared pan and arrange the other slices and sections around it attractively.

Toast the almond flour in the oven or in a dry pan on the stove. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, cream ½ cup butter and 1 cup granulated sugar untilfluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately; do not overmix. Add almond and vanilla extract and fold in the grated zest.

Scrape the cake mixture into the pan, making sure it covers the fruit layer and touches the parchment paper. Tap the pan gently on the counter once to eliminate any air holes.

Bake until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center, or a cake tester comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes on a rack. Place a cake platter on top and invert carefully. Release the cake and peel off the parchment paper.

Warm and thin 3 tablespoons raspberry jam with a little water or brandy. Glaze the blood orange slices to heighten their color and leave the navel orange slices unglazed.

Serve warm or at room temperature. The cake can be made ahead of time; warm it gently in the microwave oven for a minute.

Kumquat Coconut Flan

Makes 1 (9-inch) flan 2 cups small kumquats

3 ⁄4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kumquat juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 ⁄2 cup coconut flour

1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 ⁄2 cup unsalted butter, cold

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

3 tablespoons thick coconut cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 drops coconut flavoring (optional)

Garnish: 1 ⁄4 cup coconut curls or large flakes, unsweetened

Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare a square or round flan pan about 9-inch diameter by 1½ inch height. Cut a piece of parchment paper to extend 1½ inches up the side of the flan pan. Grease it well. Line the pan snugly, pleating and nipping the paper to fit. Grease the paper with oil. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring ¼ cup butter and the brown sugar to a gentle boil, until the sugar is completely melted. Swirl it occasionally; do not stir or the sugar will crystallize. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Cut off the ends of the kumquats and cut each into halves crosswise; discard the seeds. Pile the lot onto the syrup in the pan, cut side or round side down, no matter.

Toast the coconut flour in the oven or in a dry pan on the stove. Toast the large coconut flakes as needed.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, coconut flour and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the crumbs are pea-sized. In a separate small bowl, blend the egg and coconut cream and add the vanilla extract and optional coconut extract. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir as you would for making a piecrust. The mixture should remain crumbly; do not over mix.

Meyer Lemon Cornmeal Cake

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake3 small Meyer lemons

3 ⁄4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1⁄4 cup fine cornmeal (not stone-ground variety)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar2

large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons finely grated zest, from 2 additional lemons

3 tablespoons honey (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.Prepare a 9-inch spring-form cake pan with removable bottom. Cut a circle of parchment paper large enough to cover the bottom of the cake pan and up the side for about 1½ inches. Line the pan, snugly pleating and nipping the paper to fit. Grease the paper with oil. Set aside.In a small saucepan, bring ¼ cup butter and the brown sugar to a gentle boil, until the sugar is completely melted. Swirl it occasionally; do not stir or the sugar will crystallize. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.Grate the zest of 2 lemons to make 3 tablespoons. Set aside.Thinly slice the remaining 3 lemons crosswise and discard the seeds and ends. Set a small slice in the center of the pan and arrange more slices around it in spirals or concentric circles, overlapping them as you go.Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.In a large bowl, cream ½ cup butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately; do not over mix. Add vanilla extract and fold in the grated zest.Scrape the cake mixture into the pan, making sure it covers the fruit layer and touches the parchment paper. Tap the pan gently on the counter once to eliminate any air holes. Bake until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center, or a cake tester comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes on a rack. Place a cake platter on top and invert carefully. Release the cake and peel off the parchment paper. Drizzle the optional honey over the cake top to glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature. The cake can be made ahead of time; warm it gently in the microwave oven for a minute.

by C.B. Chu

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROSMINAH BROWN