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February 12, 2020

UPSIDE DOWN BLOOD ORANGE CAKE (VEGAN, GF)

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Kick off the blood orange season with this vegan friendly mouth-wateringly delicious & crunchy upside down blood orange cake with distinct citrus notes. No flour and no refined sugar make it light, fluffy, as well as waist friendly. Enjoy it as it comes on its own or turn into a special date night dessert by serving it with a dollop of ice a cream, warm custard or cream. 

Upside down blood orange cake

I’m so excited about the blood oranges season, can you tell?! I’ve been hunting blood oranges down for a couple of weeks now until I finally got my hands on them in the local supermarket. And guess what? I couldn’t wait to come back home and photograph them, as they’re just the most perfect models, aren’t they?!

Blood oranges on dark background
Blood oranges on dark background

Although I’m not a cake person at all – I’d turn down a slice of cake for chocolate any day – but I’ve been wanting to make an upside down blood orange cake for so long now, so I thought it’s time to conquer the day and do it! 

Upside down vegan blood orange cake

When brainstorming the ingredients for this cake, I wanted to make it healthy(ish), so it’s not too much of a compromise on extra calories. I came across a great recipe for this upside down blood orange polenta cake here and made some tweaks to the recipe, which I’m so happy to share with you below. 

Upside down vegan blood orange cake

This cake is made without any flour (just ground almonds and polenta), which makes it rather light, fluffy & crunchy. 

Using coconut sugar instead of traditional refined sugar won’t cause spikes in your blood sugar either, so you might want to go for another slice, if I dare suggest it… 

Upside down vegan blood orange cake

I used chia eggs to make this blood orange cake vegan friendly but you’re very welcome to use eggs for a non-vegan version. 

This upside down blood orange cake is delicious to eat on its own, just as it comes, but it would also make a beautiful dessert for Valentine’s Day, especially with its distinct red colours. To turn it into an irresistible Valentine’s dessert, serve it with a dollop of ice cream, warm custard or cream. I promise you there will be some hearts conquered that night!! 

Upside down vegan blood orange cake

On this note, I’ll pass you right over to the recipe, which proves that you can have your cake & eat it too! I hope you enjoy it, share it with your loved ones and bake it again! 

Upside down vegan blood orange cake

If you make this delicious blood orange cake, I’d absolutely love to see your take on it and hear your feedback, as always. Be sure to pop your comments in the comment section below and tag me @fit.foodie.nutter on Instagram or Fit Foodie Nutter on Facebook, so I can see all of your mouth-watering masterpieces.

Upside down blood orange cake

If you’re looking for some more dessert inspiration for Valentine’s Day (which would keep your Valentine’s waist in shape too), why not try this light vegan-friendly strawberry mousse cake, zingy nectarine & mango tart, decadent yet healthy chocolate tarts or this seriously delicious plum & blackberry galette.

Thank you so much for popping in to my humble blog. Have a great day and stay healthy.

Healthfully yours,

Tania x

Upside down vegan blood orange cake

UPSIDE DOWN BLOOD ORANGE CAKE (VEGAN, GF)

Adapted from Lizzie Loves Healthy
Kick off the blood orange season with this vegan friendly mouth-wateringly delicious & crunchy upside down blood orange cake with distinct citrus notes. No flour and no refined sugar make it light, fluffy, as well as waist friendly. Enjoy it as it comes on its own or turn into a special date night dessert by serving it with a dollop of ice a cream, warm custard or cream.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine British
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

For the cake:

  • 3 tbsp ground chia seeds
  • 6 tbsp water
  • 5-6 blood oranges
  • 1 cup organic coconut sugar
  • 1 cup polenta
  • 1 + 3/4 cups ground almonds
  • 1 tsp gluten free baking powder
  • A pinch of salt
  • 2/3 cups coconut oil melted
  • Zest of 2 oranges
  • 1/2 cup + 1/4 cups blood orange juice
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • Orange peel

For garnish (optional):

  • A handful of roasted hazelnuts
  • A drizzle of maple syrup

Instructions
 

  • To make chia eggs, mix ground chia seeds with water and whisk until combined. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 7″ cake tin with a little coconut oil. To prevent the cake from sticking to the tin, sprinkle the bottom of the tin with 1tsp polenta and swirl it around the sides tapping off excess. Place a circle of grease proof baking paper at the bottom of the tin.
  • Thinly slice 1-2 oranges (reserve the orange peel) and arrange the slices at the bottom of the cake tin. Sprinkle the slices with a little coconut sugar. Set aside.
  • In a big mixing bowl, combine coconut sugar, polenta, ground almonds, baking powder and salt and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl or a jug, whisk together coconut oil, orange zest, lemon & blood orange juice & vanilla extract until all ingredients are well combined.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and mix well to incorporate everything together.
  • Gently scoop the cake mixture into the cake tin on top of the sliced oranges (make sure the orange slices are staying in place). Spread the cake mixture evenly around the tin by gently tapping the cake tin on the worktop surface.
  • Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-50mins. To check if the cake is baked, insert a toothpick in the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
  • Whilst the cake is in the oven, prepare the syrup. Combine coconut sugar, water & reserved orange peel in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-5mins until the syrup has slightly thickened. When ready, put the syrup through a sieve to remove the orange peel.
  • Allow the cake to cool down for a few minutes before turning it upside down. Whilst the cake is still warm, brush the syrup over the cake with a pastry brush. If desired, cut extra slices of blood oranges & arrange them on top of the cake (it’s just for the visual effect, to make it look bright & colourful).
  • This cake tastes best whilst still warm. If desired, add a sprinkle of roasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup just before serving. To turn into a show stopping dessert, serve it with a big dollop of ice cream, warm custard or cream.
Keyword blood orange cake, gluten free, sugar free, vegan cake
Tried this recipe? Mention @Fit.Foodie.Nutter or tag #fitfoodienutter!

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Filed Under: Gluten free, Recipe, Sweet, Vegan Tagged With: blood orange cake, blood oranges, gluten free cake, healthy baking, healthy cake, sugar free cake

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarLori says

    February 13, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    5 stars
    I love the look of this cake and can’t wait to try it! Especially because of the ability to use coconut sugar (and have TWO pieces!????) And beautiful photos!!

    Reply
    • AvatarTania says

      February 17, 2020 at 10:53 am

      Thank you so much Lori! 2 slices is always the best option, right?!:) I hope you enjoy the recipe x

      Reply
  2. AvatarKushigalu says

    February 13, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    5 stars
    How gorgeous is this cake. Love that its vegan and GF too. Will try it soon

    Reply
    • AvatarTania says

      February 13, 2020 at 7:14 pm

      Thank you so much Kushigalu x

      Reply
  3. AvatarSunrita | Spiceitupp says

    February 13, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    Simply can’t belief that you could make such an appetizing looking yummy cake with polenta! Great job!

    Reply
    • AvatarTania says

      February 13, 2020 at 7:13 pm

      Thank you Sunrita! Polenta surprised me too! You should give this delicious cake a try x

      Reply
  4. AvatarTawnie Kroll says

    February 13, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    5 stars
    Those blood oranges are so gorgeous! This was such a fun recipe to make to use up all of the blood oranges in season right now!

    Reply
    • AvatarTania says

      February 13, 2020 at 7:12 pm

      Thank you so much Tawnie! I’m so glad you liked this recipe!

      Reply
  5. AvatarToni says

    February 13, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    5 stars
    I really love that this cake is gluten free! A new favorite for me!

    Reply
    • AvatarTania says

      February 13, 2020 at 7:13 pm

      Thank you so much Toni. I hope you get a chance to recreate this delicious cake!

      Reply

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AvatarWelcome to Fit Foodie Nutter! I’m Tania and here on my blog I share delicious, healthy & easy to prepare vegan & vegetarian recipes for nutritious and wholesome meals, as well as my passion for healthy, mindful living and travel. Thank you for stopping by and happy browsing. Read More…

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In honour of the citrus season, this vegan upside In honour of the citrus season, this vegan upside down blood orange cake should definitely be on your menu 😏 🍊 No flour and no refined sugar make it light, fluffy, as well as waist friendly (healthy new year resolutions & all that jazz 😎) It’ll make a great dessert for Valentine’s Day too, if you happen to be planning your menu for it already 😉 On another note, I’m desperately looking forward to Friday... You know that feeling? 😆
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#ad A delicious healthy pancake stack is the best #ad A delicious healthy pancake stack is the best way to start any day, right?! 🥞 You’re just 7 ingredients away from these super quick & easy vegan banana & oat pancakes that I made with dairy-free unsweetened  @koko_coconutuk coconut milk (full recipe below). Put your morning tunes on, grab a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen and make yourself an epic pancake stack to get your day off to the best start 😉If you fancy winning a £1,000 treetop getaway (wouldn’t that be lovely?!), Koko are running the hunt for the UK’s tastiest most natural breakfasts. Submit your recipes on kokodairyfree.com or visit @koko_coconutuk and be in with a chance of winning. Best of luck my friends!Banana & oat vegan pancakes (makes 6)
I cup rolled oats (80g)
1/4 cup + 2tbsp coconut milk (80ml)
1tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp vanilla extract
1 bananaPlace all ingredients in a food process & blitz for a couple of minutes until smooth. Fry with a little oil over medium size heat for a couple of minutes on each side.#treemendousbreakfasts #naturalbreakfasts #kokobreakfasts
#ad Looking back at Veganuary last year, there wer #ad Looking back at Veganuary last year, there were nowhere near as many plant-based options in the supermarkets as there are this year. Personally, I find it so much easier to eat plant-based now when there's such an abundance of delicious vegan products, even in the local shops.This @coopuk GRO plant based  mushroom & spinach Wellington from my local Co-op tasted absolutely divine - 'meaty' & creamy on the inside & crunchy & crisp on the outside👌🏻 It's gone down like a treat with my (rather fussy) daughter too, which makes me one happy mum, I must say! ☺️I'm so pleased that Co-op are extending their plant-based offer this January & nearly doubling the choice of their vegan GRO products from winter-warming spiced pie to Asian-inspired noodles, there will be plenty of choices to suit all taste buds 😋 This makes eating plant-based so easy & rather exciting too. Pop in to your local Co-op and check it out for yourself 😉#Veganuary #ItsWhatWeDo
#ad Craving some cheesy comfort foods this Veganua #ad Craving some cheesy comfort foods this Veganuary? No problem 😎 This quick & easy vegan broccoli & cheese soup that I made with @violife_foods Epic Grated Mature Cheddar is comfort food at its best, especially during these cold winter days. Thick, creamy & bursting with flavours, it's one of those easy recipes you'll go back to again & again (full recipe below) 🍲If you haven't yet tried @violife_foods vegan products (free from dairy, lactose, soya & gluten), I'd really encourage you to do so. In my humble opinion, Violife cheese alternatives are one of the best at the vegan isle. You can find Violife products in Asda, Coop, Holland & Barrett, Sainsbury's, Tesco & Waitrose. If you need more vegan recipe inspiration, head over to Violife website.If you fancy winning a goodie bag from @violife_foods, just try their Epic Grated Mature or Grated Original, create a recipe,  and share your recipe on Instagram. That's it. Best of luck!#Violife #gratedchallengeBroccoli & cheese soup recipe (vegan)1tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 small broccoli, chopped
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1/4tsp kala namak (or regular salt)
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 800ml hot water
2 handfuls of @violife_foods Epic Grated Mature CheddarMethod. Fry onion and garlic in olive oil for a couple of minutes until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients apart from cheese. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables have softened. Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add hot water to reach the desired consistency. Place the pureed soup back on the heat and add grated cheese. Cook for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve with croutons, parsley and more grated cheese.Create a recipe with #Violife, snap it, upload it with #gratedchallenge and tag in the brand
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AvatarWelcome to Fit Foodie Nutter! I’m Tania and here on my blog I share delicious, healthy & easy to prepare vegan & vegetarian recipes for nutritious and wholesome meals, as well as my passion for healthy, mindful living and travel. Thank you for stopping by and happy browsing. Read More…

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