This paleo orange upside down cake is light, moist, and just so gorgeous with pops of color! Comes together easily and quickly too.
I’ve always been a huge fan of upside down cakes. They are just so gorgeous, with lots of moisture from fruits that go into the topping, and sometimes the cake batter. I’ve made various versions of paleo and gluten free upside down cake, and I really wanted to give a citrus version a try. After a few attempts, I finally made a delicious and wonderful orange almond upside down cake, and I’m so excited to share this delicious dessert with you!
Watch a Short Video of This Recipe
Honey Orange Upside Down Cake Recipe
In this paleo upside down cake, orange slices are laid on top of honey and ghee mixture, and then the light and citrusy batter is poured over them. Everything is then baked to golden perfection until fluffy and set. I just love how gorgeous the end result is, and using a combination of regular oranges and blood oranges really brings out the wonderful colors of this upside down orange almond cake.
Ingredients in this Gluten Free Upside Down Cake Recipe
There are two components to this honey orange upside down cake: the orange topping and the cake itself.
Orange Topping
- ghee: I personally love the buttery flavor of ghee. You can make your own or purchase it pre-made. If you don’t have ghee on hand, coconut oil or butter works too for this recipe!
- oranges: I like to use a mix of regular (like cara cara oranges or navel oranges) and blood oranges for that gorgeous pop of color, but any combination of oranges will work.
- honey
Cake
- orange: You’ll need both the juice and the orange zest.
- eggs: Make sure to use eggs at room temperature.
- maple syrup
- ghee: Again, coconut oil will work instead of ghee here as well.
- vanilla extract
- almond flour
- baking powder
How to Make Upside Down Orange Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, then line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Brush ghee or coconut oil all over the bottom and sides of the pan. Brush honey evenly over the bottom of the pan, on top of the ghee layer.
- Use a sharp knife to cut oranges into 1/8-1/4 inch slices.
- Place the slices over the honey in a circular pattern, overlapping them, until you cover the whole pan. Set aside.
- In large bowl, add orange juice and zest, eggs, maple syrup, ghee, and vanilla extract. Whisk by hand or an electric mixer until well combined.
- Add almond flour and baking powder to wet ingredients, and fold until combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans, then smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a plate. Remove parchment paper. Slice, then enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions About This Paleo Upside Down Cake
I personally don’t mind the orange peel, especially when it’s baked in honey like in this recipe. It still has a slightly bitter flavor to it, but I enjoy it a lot. Feel free to remove the peel if you like. Removing the peel will also make the cake easier to slice.
It’s delicious on its own, but it’s also wonderful with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (whipped coconut cream if you are dairy free)!
Once completely cooled, store covered in the fridge for up to a week.
If you enjoyed this cake, you might also like…
- Paleo Pear Upside Down Cake
- Chocolate Dipped Oven Dried Orange Slices (Paleo, Vegan)
- Paleo & Vegan Pomegranate Orange Scones Recipe
- Easy Paleo Pound Cake Recipe
- Orange Creamsicle Paleo N’Oatmeal (Vegan, Whole30)
Orange Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Orange Topping
- 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
- 2 oranges navel, cara cara, and/or blood oranges
- 3 tbsp honey
Cake
- Juice & zest of 1 orange about 1/4 cup in juice
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup ghee or coconut oil, melted
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cup almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and cut out parchment paper in a circle to fit in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Add ghee over the parchment paper then brush evenly all over the bottom and sides of the pan. Then, brush honey evenly on top of the ghee layer at the bottom of the pan.
- Slice the bottoms and tops of 2 oranges, then cut with a sharp knife into 1/8-1/4 inch slices. You can cut off the rinds if you like. I prefer to leave them on.
- Place the orange slices over the honey in a circular pattern, overlapping them, until you cover the whole pan. Set aside.
- In large bowl, add juice and zest of 1 orange, eggs, maple syrup, ghee, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
- Add almond flour and baking powder to wet ingredients, and fold until combined.
- Pour the batter over orange slices over the prepared pans, then smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully flip the cake onto a plate. Remove parchment paper. Slice, then enjoy!
Video
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