Blood Orange Upside Down Cake

2 sticks of butter, room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup sour cream
3-4 medium size blood oranges
1 cup fine cornmeal
1/2 cup gluten free 1:1 flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
zest of one of the oranges
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Cream butter reserving 3 tablespoons for later. Add granulated sugar a third at a time and cream with the butter. Last add eggs one at a time and cream. Next add vanilla and cream in. Last fold in the sour cream. In a separate bowl add cornmeal, flour, baking powder, orange zest, and sea salt and whisk to combine.

Next prepare oranges (be patient, this takes some time), slice off both stem and bottom ends to remove peel and white pith. Place each orange on flat surface and remove peel and pith curving around the orange till all white pith is removed.  Slice each orange into at least 4 slices, remove center pith and any seeds. Preheat oven to 350 F. I was about to place cake in the oven and I realized I forget the vanilla so I drizzled it over the top. Not quite the same thing but what could I do.

In a cast iron 9 inch pan coat sides with olive oil, then melt 3 tablespoons of the reserved butter, add brown sugar and lemon juice, stir to combine, then turn off the heat. Arrange orange slices on top of brown sugar mixture. Next fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients till just blended. Pour batter over oranges and place in oven for 40 to 50 minutes till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Thirty five minutes into the baking time the electricity went off. I called they said it would be quite some time before it came back on. I decided to leave the cake in the oven hoping the residual heat in the oven and cast iron pan would cook it, and it worked. I took the cake out of the oven and let it cool for ten minutes in the pan, then I flipped over onto a plate to cool on a rack.

As I waited for the cake to cool I sat at my desk wondering what do to next. All of a sudden I realized I also forgot to add the sour cream, no wonder the batter was so stiff. Whoa is me. But the cake turned out perfect, if a bit too sweet. Next time I'll use less sugar. Please be sure to use the cornmeal, this cake needs that texture and it didn't taste like corn at all. I think the oranges could be more prominent on the top, next time I might slice them in thirds. Also the blood oranges were a bit fragile, another variety of orange might be more stiff and would also lend itself to this cake.

Enjoy !