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Briony May Williams' blood orange upside-down cake

Briony May Williams' blood orange upside-down cake

On Tuesday 10th May 2026, professional chef Briony May Williams joined Morning Live to demonstrate her blood orange upside-down cake recipe.

Blood oranges are in peak season, so are currently at their sweetest and ripest. Briony has used them to make a tasty treat that is simple to make and packed full of flavour.

BBC Morning Live

Tuesday 10th March 2026

BBC iPlayer

Ingredients (serves 12)

For the topping:

  • 2 blood oranges

  • 50g unsalted butter, softened

  • 50g light soft brown sugar

  • 1 tbsp flour

For the sponge:

  • 150g self-raising flour

  • 100g light soft brown sugar

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 1 tsp mixed spice

  • Juice and zest of 1 blood orange

  • 75g unsalted butter, melted

  • 2 medium eggs

  • 75g fresh dates, stoned and chopped

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan.

  2. For the topping, beat together the butter, sugar and mixed spice until smooth then use a pastry brush to spread evenly over the base of an 8-inch cake tin (use a loose-bottomed one if you have it).

  3. Peel and thinly slice the blood oranges then place the slices in the base of the tin. Make sure to press them into the butter mixture then sprinkle over a tablespoon of flour.

  4. In a saucepan, cover the chopped dates with water and heat gently for 5 minutes until broken down and most of the water has been absorbed/evaporated.

  5. Make the sponge by mixing together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the juice, zest and eggs then add to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined then add the dates and melted butter and mix again.

  6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.

You can find out how to make candied peels by going to the BBC Good Food website.

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