This stunning upside down orange cake recipe is from the cookbook Season by Nik Sharma, and the moment we saw it Alex and I were intrigued. The design of the jewel-toned oranges against the yellow cornmeal was too striking to pass up. We baked the cake, took 1 million photos of it, and then finally, tasted it. It was the most moist, flavorful orange cake we’ve ever had. Season is a cookbook featuring a fusion of Indian and American cuisine from author Nik Sharma’s two cultures. And if the recipes are all like this, you’re in for a treat! Nik is a San Francisco food writer and the face behind A Brown Table. Keep reading for the upside down orange cake recipe, and a special Q&A with the author.
An interview with the author, Nik Sharma
1) You grew up in India and then lived as an adult in the United States; Season is a fusion of influences between the two cultures. What are a few of your favorite Indian foods and American foods that you like to cook on an everyday basis?
I try to look at how I cook as more of an adaptation to what I have available around me, while I try to bring in my influences from India and the different parts of America that I’ve lived in. Like most folk I love sweets and fried food! So yeah, fried chicken when we visit my in-laws in the South is always on my mind, I love making chili (I went to grad school in Ohio) but I also live for making kheer (a type of aromatic rice pudding made with basmati rice and seasoned with spices and dry fruit and nuts) and biryani (because it is essentially a one-pot dish and requires just a bit of yogurt and or a salad on the side).
2) You’ve noted that being gay and a person of color in an online world has brought some unpleasant anonymous comments on your social media at A Brown Table (we’re so sorry to hear that!). What helped you through that challenge to keep doing what you do today?
I had to move on, I had no choice. I could either let negativity take over my life and take away something I enjoy so much, cooking. That would have been a shame to lose something I love for nothing. In the end, I had to be true to myself and I wasn’t going to change or hide my identity.
3) The Foreword of your book beautiful speaks about you inviting us to your table, “a place where everyone belongs”. What can the everyday person do to support tables and communities that are inclusive to all?
Start by talking to people who don’t look and sound like you, it will pleasantly surprise you as to how similar you might be and the common interests you might share. In the food world, it’s easier, try and read articles written by authors you might have not heard of, you could purchase a cookbook written by someone from a country you’ve been eager to visit or learn about, celebrate them and their work.
What to know about this upside down orange cake recipe
This fennel and orange cake recipe is something special occasions are made of. Here are a few things to take note of:
This recipe requires refrigerating the cake batter overnight before baking. Nik indicates in the book that this is his grandmother’s trick so that the cake batter absorbs as much liquid as possible. It gives this orange cake a very tender crumb, which we enjoyed immensely. So don’t skip this step: and make sure to plan ahead!A unique ingredient in this orange cake is fennel seed. Fennel and orange are a natural pairing, but we’d never cooked them together in a dessert. After tasting the cake, it was just as we’d hoped: the fennel adds just the right amount of complexity and pairs well with the lightly moist cake. And the thin orange slices come out perfectly sweetened, almost tasting like a candied orange.Be very, very careful when you remove the orange cake from the pan. Make sure to slide it gently out of the pan to avoid cracking or breaking. This cake recipe requires a 12-inch pan, which we had to special order in order to make it. But it was well worth the purchase!
With lots of butter and sugar, this cake is a little outside our standard healthy fare, but it’s a perfect treat for a special occasion and makes a massive cake!
Get the book
Get Season by Nik Sharma here
This orange cake recipe is…
Vegetarian.
Looking for more fruit dessert recipes?
Outside of this upside down orange cake recipe, here are a few of our favorite fruit dessert recipes: No reviews
The Best Peach Pie RecipeBest Applesauce Cake Mini Apple Pies Triple Cherry CheesecakeGranola Instant Pot Apple CrispTart Cherry Chocolate GaletteEasy Bananas Foster RecipeAngel Food Cupcakes with Berries Chocolate Banana Bread10 Fruit Desserts to Try Now
Last updated: January 2021
