This stunning upside-down citrus cake is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. The caramelized citrus top, featuring bright and beautiful grapefruit, Cara Caras and navel oranges, sits on a tender and delicious yogurt cake.

This citrus cake recipe is an elegant dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make and guaranteed to impress.

This upside-down citrus cake is a showstopper, but don’t let its stunning appearance fool you, it’s surprisingly simple to make. Pure sunshine on a plate.

This recipe is sponsored by Pro Citrus Network.

Upside Down Citrus Cake Recipe

This recipe celebrates the best of seasonal produce. Using fresh oranges and grapefruit is key, as their natural sweetness and acidity create a beautiful counterpoint to the buttery richness of the cake.

The yogurt in the batter ensures that the cake is incredibly moist and tender, while the simple addition of vanilla extract provides a subtle warmth that allows the bright, citrusy flavors to truly shine.

And the best part is that you can make this cake using any citrus you have on hand or whatever is in season.

Related: Eating Citrus Makes a Difference

Tips When Making Citrus Cake

For a Thicker Cake: Use a smaller 8-inch cake pan to get a taller cake.

Fill in the Gaps: You are going to have gaps in between the larger slices of fruit. This helps to hold the cake together and gives you more fruit in every bite!

Best Citrus for Slicing: For vibrant colors, Cara Cara, navel oranges, and grapefruit work well. For a different flavor, try blood oranges or Meyer lemons.

The Perfect Flip: Letting the cake cool completely is essential for a clean release and to prevent the fruit from sticking to the pan.

Add-Ins: For a little extra flavor, you can stir in 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter before pouring it over the citrus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different citrus?

Yes, you can. While this recipe uses oranges and grapefruit, it can be made with blood oranges, pomelos, lemons, or even tangerines. Just make sure the slices are uniform in thickness.

Related: A Guide to Mandarins

What kind of yogurt should I use?

Plain yogurt is best so it doesn’t overpower the citrus. You can use full-fat or low-fat yogurt. Greek yogurt will make the batter slightly thicker.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes, this cake can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The flavors actually deepen overnight!

Ingredients

• 2 Cara Cara oranges or blood oranges
• 2 navel oranges
• 1 grapefruit, or other citrus of choice
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup butter, room temperature
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup plain non- or low-fat yogurt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.

Slice the citrus ¼-inch thick, leaving the skin on. Using a paring knife, carefully remove the white pith from the outer ring of the citrus slices. This will keep the fruit slices intact.

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine the ½ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup water.

Microwave for about 45 seconds, or until the sugar has dissolved completely. Stir to ensure it’s fully dissolved.

Arrange the citrus slices in a single layer at the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Use smaller, segmented pieces to fill in any gaps. Once arranged, pour the sugar-water mixture over the fruit. Set the pan aside.

In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat the butter, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined.

Add the yogurt, and mix until just incorporated.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; the batter will be thick.

Pour the batter evenly over the citrus slices, spreading it all the way to the edges of the pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before inverting it onto a serving plate.

If you enjoy this Upside Down Citrus Cake recipe, be sure to try our Pear Bundt Cake, Blueberry Cheesecake or our Tropical Avocado Cake recipes!

Why We Love Pro Citrus Network

With a focus on high-quality citrus, Pro Citrus Network supplies you and your family with the right citrus at the right time. Their high standards for their produce and their efforts to work together to help each other and value the people they serve (that’s YOU) are what set them apart. They strive to provide citrus in North America all year, so you always have the option to add a little slice of citrus to your plate.

More Recipes from PCN Brand

• Citrus Salad
• White Fish Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce
• Homemade Limoncello
• Salmon and Citrus Sheet Pan
• Fresh Mandarin Chicken Salad