It’s a special time of year when blood oranges are in season.
Garnet. Ruby. Crimson. Blood. RED.
They are superbly sweet, slightly tangy, and a whole lot of citrusy.
They are delicious.
And so is vanilla cake.
Thus, we must.
Mix, match, meld..
…bake a cake.
Blood Orange Vanilla Cake
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, softened, and divided into 4 separate chunks of about 2 Tbsp. each)
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup fresh blood orange juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 blood orange, sliced into very thin rounds
2 Tbs. coarse sugar
Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease two 9-inch cake pans. Line with parchment and then sprinkle with coarse sugar, coating evenly. Rather than a traditional flour dusting, the coarse sugar creates a nice crystalized crust on the top of each layer. Top the sugar with a thin layer of blood orange slices.
Combine the flour, regular sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the dry ingredients are combined. Or whisk together by hand.
Add the butter one chunk at a time, until the mixture forms a grainy consistency, between 30 seconds and 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula.
Add vanilla and then with the mixer again on low. Add the milk and orange juice.
Add each egg, one at a time, mixing until fluffy.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and give each one a couple of solid bangs on the countertop to release any air bubbles, then transfer them to the oven.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges by running a knife along the sides of the pan. Invert on to a serving tray one tier atop another.
