BBQ-baked Upside Down Orange Cake
As we welcome spring, a light, zesty sponge cake is the perfect treat to brighten those lingering cool, drizzly days and crisp evenings. You can put this into your BBQ to bake once you’ve removed the meat or main dish from your grills. The dark sugar and butter mixture on the base (eventually the top) adds a rich caramel flavour which seeps into the cake. Heat up some custard to pour over it and you’ve a delicious pudding. It is also nice with ice cream.
Ingredients
3 whole oranges – I used blood oranges
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
40g unsalted butter
CAKE MIXTURE
175g unsalted butter
175g self-raising flour
175g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
Vanilla paste – small squeeze
2 tbsp orange juice
Method
1. Light your BBQ. You want it set up for indirect cooking at a temp of about 170°C.
2. Line a 20cm springform baking tin with a paper case or baking parchment.
3. Take two of the oranges and remove the zest into a large mixing bowl – the one you are going to mix the cake in. Taking a sharp knife, slice off the pith and slice the orange cross ways into rounds. These are for the base of the cake.
4. Into a pan, place the 40g unsalted butter and the dark brown sugar and place over the grills. Warm and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Spoon this out onto the base of the lined baking tin and arrange the orange rounds on top, pressing them gently into the butter mixture.
5. Place the rest of the ingredients in the large mixing bowl with the orange zest along with 2 tablespoons of orange juice from the remaining orange. Beat until light, fluffy and creamy. I used an electric mixer. Spoon it over the top of the orange slices and level the mixture with a knife.
6. Place into your BBQ to bake. I place my cakes on an upturned baking tin on top of the grills – this helps prevent the base overbaking. After about 50–55 minutes and when the cake has turned a lovely golden colour, check it is cooked by inserting your Thermapen. Use the probe. Carefully insert it into the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s cooked.
7. Remove the cake from the BBQ and leave to cool for about 15 minutes. Invert it carefully onto a plate and remove the parchment paper. Slice and eat while still warm, with custard and/or ice cream.
More Recipes Ideas from Sue Stoneman
Method
1. Light your BBQ. You want it set up for indirect cooking at a temp of about 170°C.
2. Line a 20cm springform baking tin with a paper case or baking parchment.
3. Take two of the oranges and remove the zest into a large mixing bowl – the one you are going to mix the cake in. Taking a sharp knife, slice off the pith and slice the orange cross ways into rounds. These are for the base of the cake.
4. Into a pan, place the 40g unsalted butter and the dark brown sugar and place over the grills. Warm and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Spoon this out onto the base of the lined baking tin and arrange the orange rounds on top, pressing them gently into the butter mixture.
5. Place the rest of the ingredients in the large mixing bowl with the orange zest along with 2 tablespoons of orange juice from the remaining orange. Beat until light, fluffy and creamy. I used an electric mixer. Spoon it over the top of the orange slices and level the mixture with a knife.
6. Place into your BBQ to bake. I place my cakes on an upturned baking tin on top of the grills – this helps prevent the base overbaking. After about 50–55 minutes and when the cake has turned a lovely golden colour, check it is cooked by inserting your Thermapen. Use the probe. Carefully insert it into the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s cooked.
7. Remove the cake from the BBQ and leave to cool for about 15 minutes. Invert it carefully onto a plate and remove the parchment paper. Slice and eat while still warm, with custard and/or ice cream.
