Nina Anakar is a shining star in the Los Angeles food community. She is the founder of Ziza Foods, a home cooking and catering service that blends Mediterranean flavors with fresh California ingredients. She is also the lead chef for Akasa, a non-profit that teaches cooking and gardening as part of a mindfulness program for low income youth and families in LA. Lucky for us, Nina created a Blood Orange and Olive Oil Upside Down Cake, featuring Brightland, and we're in love.
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup fine ground cornmeal
2-3 Blood Oranges, sliced in ¼ inch rounds with skin on
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the oranges into round slices about ¼ inch thick, leaving the rind on. Place them on a plate or sheet tray with a paper towel or clean dish towel underneath; gently pat the excess juice off of the oranges and set aside.
Using a whisk and large mixing bowl, mix the Brightland's Awake Extra Virgin Olive Oil, vanilla, 1 cup of sugar and eggs until very smooth. Combine dry ingredients together in another mixing bowl. Working in batches, gently fold the dry ingredients in with the wet, using a rubber spatula and being careful not to overwork the dough. Set aside.
Place a 10 inch, well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Meanwhile, pour the additional ½ cup of sugar onto a plate and dip the orange slices in until they are each lightly coated with sugar on each side. Once oranges are all coated, arrange them in to the hot skillet, working quickly to ensure even cooking time. Starting in the center, cover the entire bottom of the pan with the oranges and arrange a second layer with any remaining slices. Allow the orange slices to caramelize for 3 minutes; you’ll know they are ready when bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Turn the heat off and pour the dough in to the center of the skillet. There is no need to spread the dough as it will do this on it’s own in the oven.
Place the skillet in the center of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester runs clean. Allow the cake to cook down in the skillet for 15-30 minutes before inverting it onto a plate. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, and enjoy!
