Ombre Citrus Upside Down Cake #cake

Baking with fruits is always my staple. Infect, my sister makes fun of me that I don't eat fruit unless it is combined with flour, butter, and sugar.😄 If you are a fan of fruity baked goods then hey oranges are in season. This cake does not just look pretty but it also tastes super seasonal. This cake is super citrusy and the semolina flour adds a nutty flavor and a sturdy texture to it. The use of the mayo and buttermilk gives it a nice tender and even crumb. Note: My cake looks a little raw in the center. At the end of that day, the fever took over me from infection and I made a mistake of taking it out a tad bit early. Maybe that was also because of the dome-shaped cake pan I used which takes more time to cook in the center. If you follow the cake tester test, yours will be just fine. Ombre Citrus Upside Down Cake Blood oranges, grapefruit, orange (all thinly sliced) 2 cups cake flour, 250g ¾ cup sugar 2 tbsp semolina flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt 4 egg yolks 2 tbsp mayo ¾ cup buttermilk Vanilla 1 tbsp orange zest ½ cup melted butter 3 egg whites ¼ cup sugar Pinch salt ¾ cup blood orange juice ⅓ cup sugar ¼ tsp cornstarch Slice the oranges into very thin slices. Combine the blood orange juice with sugar and cornstarch. Mix it then add it to a small saucepan and heat it. Bring it to a gentle simmer and let it thicken a bit. Allow it to cool. Save 2 tbsp from it to brush it on the cake later. Coat the orange slices in the rest of the orange glaze. Parchment line your cake pan and arrange the orange slices in an ombre pattern overlapping halfway. Try not to leave gaps otherwise the batter will ooze out. Combine all dry ingredients and whisk. In a separate bowl, whisk together yolks, mayo, buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla and zest. Add dry ingredients to the wet mix and combine. Add egg whites with a pinch of salt to a clean and dry bowl. Whisk it to froth. Then start adding sugar to it slowly in intervals and keep whisking till it reaches stiff peaks. Fold the stiff whites into the batter. Pour batter over the prepared cake pan and bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes. After the cake tester comes out clean, take it out. Allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert it on a cooling rack. Brush the reserved syrup on top and serve with tea or coffee. Enjoy.