blood orange

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets with Blood Orange Swirl

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets with Blood Orange Swirl by Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are almost shortbread tart crusts filled with a no bake cream cheese and white chocolate filling. The quick blood orange jam here adds a swirl or flavor and tang. You can substitute in another favorite jam here! These come together quickly and make for a nice make-ahead dessert option for small dinner parties. They are an easy to make simple fancy dessert for the spring! If you're wondering how to use blood oranges, this is how! Read more on thewoodandspoon.com

You guys know me by now. I take any and every excuse for celebration and do my best to turn it into a full-on party. Maybe it’s because I love my friends; maybe it’s because I love seeing fresh-cut flowers and balloons scattered about my house. Whatever the case may be, I adore the party planning process, particularly as it pertains to selecting a menu and theme. These white chocolate cheesecake tartlets were among the goodies I shared at a gathering a few weeks ago, and I’m thrilled to get to chat about them with you all today as the last installment of this year’s #monthofchocolate.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets with Blood Orange Swirl by Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are almost shortbread tart crusts filled with a no bake cream cheese and white chocolate filling. The quick blood orange jam here adds a swirl or flavor and tang. You can substitute in another favorite jam here! These come together quickly and make for a nice make-ahead dessert option for small dinner parties. They are an easy to make simple fancy dessert for the spring! If you're wondering how to use blood oranges, this is how! Read more on thewoodandspoon.com

Brett and I attend a couple’s small group at our church on Sunday mornings. It’s a mix of couples, mostly married and some not, ranging in age from late twenties to late fifties-ish, and it is such a healthy and life-giving thing for us. In an effort to get out of the “classroom” and really just have fun, we decided to have a Valentine’s Day Italian dinner. I bought big, shiny heart-shaped balloons and tacky heart confetti and banners to put around my house. We drank wine and ate big pans of my mother-in-law’s lasagna by the candlelight provided from leftover glass votives and tea lights from our wedding. It was entirely cheesy and unnecessary, but even as I sit here typing, I’m totally smiling big because it was just so fun.

It feels good to unplug, connect, and have silly, easy conversation with people that love you back.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets with Blood Orange Swirl by Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are almost shortbread tart crusts filled with a no bake cream cheese and white chocolate filling. The quick blood orange jam here adds a swirl or flavor and tang. You can substitute in another favorite jam here! These come together quickly and make for a nice make-ahead dessert option for small dinner parties. They are an easy to make simple fancy dessert for the spring! If you're wondering how to use blood oranges, this is how! Read more on thewoodandspoon.com

Dessert was all chocolate, partly due to theme and partly out of sheer convenience. In the throws of testing recipes for #monthofchocolate, I was overrun with test batches of flourless chocolate cake, vegan fluffernutter cookies, and these cutie little white chocolate cheesecake tartlets. It seemed like an to share with friends who wouldn’t judge a work in progress recipe. All in all, the night was terrific. I’m thrilled that you get a taste of that evening today with this elegant and simple recipe.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets

These white chocolate cheesecake tartlets are a variation of a no-bake cheesecake that I’ve been making for years. The crust is a shortbread and is the only part that requires any time in the oven at all. With few ingredients involved, I lean on Kerrygold’s salted butter for flavor and quality. As with most shortbreads, the flavor of this crust is seriously buttery; I prefer to use a product that has the just-right balance between sweet and salty. This crust melts in your mouth and there’s not doubt that Kerrygold butter plays a starring role in that.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets with Blood Orange Swirl by Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are almost shortbread tart crusts filled with a no bake cream cheese and white chocolate filling. The quick blood orange jam here adds a swirl or flavor and tang. You can substitute in another favorite jam here! These come together quickly and make for a nice make-ahead dessert option for small dinner parties. They are an easy to make simple fancy dessert for the spring! If you're wondering how to use blood oranges, this is how! Read more on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Tarts

The filling here (made in the microwave, btw!) is nothing more than cream cheese, white chocolate, and sugar. The mixture gets folded into whipped cream and it sets up in the fridge to a soft-cheesecake consistency. The fancy show-stopper of these white chocolate cheesecake tartlets is the blood orange swirl. A simple sauce made from blood orange juice, sugar, and cornstarch comes together on the stove and sets to a thick saucy consistency. The mixture can be used in a number of ways (think flavored cocktails, cake fillings, toast toppings, and ice cream compotes!), but here, we use it for it’s floral tang, mild sweetness, and stunning color. You can use a store-bought jam or sauce here in a pinch, but I love putting that fleeting winter produce to use.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets with Blood Orange Swirl by Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are almost shortbread tart crusts filled with a no bake cream cheese and white chocolate filling. The quick blood orange jam here adds a swirl or flavor and tang. You can substitute in another favorite jam here! These come together quickly and make for a nice make-ahead dessert option for small dinner parties. They are an easy to make simple fancy dessert for the spring! If you're wondering how to use blood oranges, this is how! Read more on thewoodandspoon.com

I finished off the white chocolate cheesecake tartlets with candied walnuts that I purchased from the store, but this is entirely unnecessary. You can serve solo or opt to finish off with more sauce, whipped cream, or even little ginger cookie crumbles. Find something with texture in your pantry and HAVE AT IT. These little white chocolate cheesecake tartlets are seriously adaptable and would be complimented by a multitude of toppings.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets with Blood Orange Swirl by Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are almost shortbread tart crusts filled with a no bake cream cheese and white chocolate filling. The quick blood orange jam here adds a swirl or flavor and tang. You can substitute in another favorite jam here! These come together quickly and make for a nice make-ahead dessert option for small dinner parties. They are an easy to make simple fancy dessert for the spring! If you're wondering how to use blood oranges, this is how! Read more on thewoodandspoon.com

Many thanks to Kerrygold for sponsoring these little white chocolate cheesecake tartlets. Be sure to grab a pack (or five!) of their butter for baking up these little tartlets and more. Any dessert this special deserves the added bonus of quality, uncompromised butter, and you can expect that with Kerrygold. I hope you all have enjoyed this year’s #monthofchocolate and I look forward to getting back to business in March with tons of all new words and recipes. Happy Thursday and Happy Baking!

If you like these white chocolate cheesecake tartlets you should check out:

Blood Orange Cheesecake

Blood Orange Bundt Cake

White Chocolate Cake

Lemon Pound Cake

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tartlets

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White Chocolate Cheesecake Tartlets with Blood Orange Swirl

These white chocolate cheesecake tartlets are mini no-bake cheesecakes swirled with a simple blood orange sauce.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 120
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the blood orange sauce:

  • 1 pound blood oranges
  • ¼ cup (50 gm) sugar
  • 11/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the shortbread crusts:

  • ¾ cup (170 gm) salted butter, at room temperature
  • 11/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

For the cheesecake filling:

  • 5.5 ounces white chocolate, chopped
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts, if desired

Instructions

To prepare the blood orange jam:

  1. Peel, slice and seed the blood oranges, being sure to remove as much of the pith (white skin on fruit) as possible, as this will cause the jam to taste bitter. Puree the fruit in a blender or fruit processor until a pulpy juice forms. Pour the juice into a saucepan and whisk in the sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Turn the heat to medium and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Allow to boil, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes until thickened slightly. Turn off the heat, skim the bubbles off the top and and place in a heat-safe container to chill in the fridge to at least room temp.

To prepare the crusts:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl until smooth. Add the confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, and flour and stir on low until a crumbly mixture forms. When you press it between your fingers it should pack like wet sand. Divide the mixture between the 6- 4” tart pans with removable bottoms (I used just shy of ½ cup in each pan) and press into the sides and bottom of the pan in an even layer. I find it’s easiest to press into the sides first and then smooth the remaining dough into the bottom. Place the tart pans on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven to pan until firm, about 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven to cool completely.

To prepare the tarts:

  1. Combine the white chocolate and cream cheese in a microwave-safe mixing bowl and microwave in 25 second intervals, stirring regularly afterwards. This allows the white chocolate to melt gently. Continue this process until the clumps of white chocolate combine smoothly with the softened cream cheese. In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla and heavy whipping cream and whip until medium peaks form. Fold about half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and then fold the remaining whipped cream in until smooth. Be careful to not overwork it. Fill the cooled tart dishes with some of the cream cheese mixture, about 2/3 of the way full, alternating with some of the blood orange jam. I use about 2 tablespoons of sauce in each tart pan. Once the tart pans are filled, use a toothpick to gently swirl the two mixtures together. If you ended up with a big glob of cream cheese on top you can drop a few rounds of sauce on top to make pretty swirls. Place the finished tarts in the fridge to set up. Prior to eating, pull the tarts out of the fridge, pop the tarts out of the pan, and allow to rest at room temp for about 15-20 minutes to allow the crust to soften slightly. Top with toasted walnuts, if desired.

Notes

  • You can substitute in a different jam or preserves for the blood orange sauce. Just loosen it a bit with water until it reaches sauce consistency.

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This post has been sponsored by Kerrygold. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make Wood & Spoon possible. 

Blood Orange Cheesecake

Blood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.com

There’s a reason I drink wine. It’s the same reason I go for walks and listen to the same comforting records over and over again. It’s the reason I lose myself  in perfecting cinnamon bread recipes and hide little slices of  blood orange cheesecake in the back of the fridge.

Kids. The reason is kids.

Let me be clear: Mothering is the honor of my life. It’s full of surprises and joy and tears burning in the corners of your eyes because you didn’t know a tiny person could make you laugh so hard. It’s rich and life-giving, and I wouldn’t trade these days for all of the long legs, designer handbags, and front row tickets to Hamilton that the world has to offer.

Blood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.com

Mothering: The Hard Stuff

But there’s also endless laundry. There’s sassy toddlers who spend a week’s worth of dinners in time out. There’s blueberries smashed in the seat cushions and about one million questions that start with “Why?” and end with absolutely nothing of importance. This work that we do, Mothers- this beautiful, repetitive, insanity-inducing joy of our lives- is quite often a literal and proverbial poop show, and you’ll never guess who gets the backstage pass to the whole thing.

Yup. It’s the same person who shoves peas into chubby cheeks and clips microscopic toenails. And it’s the person who loses their last French fry to a quick-handed toddler. It’s the gal who sorts through the trash to find the various remotes, sippy cups, and shoes that someone “hid” in the garbage can. A mother’s list of responsibilities is only outmatched by the number of tears they wipe and tantrums they tame, and we somehow trick ourselves into signing up for it again and again and again.

Blood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.com

Brett and I recently started talking about the potential of growing our family in the distant future. Sometimes the thought of taking on one more human makes me absolutely choke on my own spit. If I have to listen to one more person whining at the dinner table, I will face-plant in my plate of spaghetti. But still, there are intangibles to mothering that make it irresistible.

Mothering: The Good Stuff

Like sometimes I watch my two children from afar as if the whole thing is happening in slow-motion, black and white. I see little faces wrinkled with smiles, heads thrown back with laughter. They move wildly, chasing each other around the kingdom of our backyard like they could run anywhere in the world. Suddenly, they turn. We lock eyes, and no sooner than a whispered “Mama” unfurls in the wind, they’re running towards me- arms open and voices shrieking into a knock-you-over kind of embrace. The exchange we make for all of the broken dishes and dirty socks is suddenly worth it, because there is nothing quite as remarkable as the sound of little voices whispering your name. There is nothing like the chance to be loved back.

Blood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.comBlood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.com

Blood Orange Cheesecake

So yes, motherhood is hard. I don’t know if it gets easier, but while we wait to find out, let’s indulge in simple luxuries. Like this blood orange cheesecake.

This recipe was adapted from a blog favorite, my Meyer lemon cheesecake. You guys go crazy for that thang, so I knew I had to create more cheesy, citrusy goodness. The result is this head-turning, creamsicle-colored blood orange beauty that is sure to beat the pants off of any other dessert in your fridge.

Blood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.com

Blood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Cheesecake

First, to make it, we start with the crust. Crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, and cinnamon are mixed together to soak up a pool of melted butter. Next, press the mixture into a 9″ springform pan and bake it in the oven while you get started on the filling.

In the meantime, cream cheese and sugar come together until light and fluffy. Afterwards, add a few eggs, some heavy cream, and the blood orange juice and zest. Take care to not overwork your batter, and be sure to incorporate all of the little bits of cheese and zest. No one wants a clumpy cheesecake. Lastly, bake the whole thing in the oven until jiggly but set around the outer edges.

Blood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.com

I like to take a few precautions with my cheesecake. First, I always prepare a water bath. This will ensure that my cheesecake bakes evenly and avoids any major cracks in its top. Secondly, I triple layer the aluminum foil around my pan to ensure that no water leaks into my pan. Even supposed “leak-free” pans have sprung a leak, and I promise, nothing is more demoralizing and wasting all of your precious blood oranges on a soggy cheesecake. And thirdly, I let my cheesecakes cool in phases to prevent any major structural damage. This includes a brief stint in a hot, but turned off, oven, a rest on the counter, and a long chill in the fridge.

This blood orange cheesecake is sweet and tart, a brilliant ode to that stunning winter fruit, so pick up a bag of blood oranges at your market and give this recipe a try!

Blood Orange Cheesecake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for a citrus cheesecake flavored with ruby red blood oranges, The crust is a cinnamon brown sugar and graham cracker crust and the whole thing is topped with a sweet whipped cream topping. The cheesecake, made with cream cheese, is adapted from miette bakery, and has a beautiful pink orange hue due to the oranges! This recipe gives a lot of how-to's on making cheesecakes without crack, bubbles, soggy crust from leaking water bath, etc so check it out on thewoodandspoon.com

If you like this blood orange cheesecake, you should try:

Blood Orange Bundt Cake

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake

Brown Sugar Cheesecake with Oatmeal Cookie Crust and Butterscotch Sauce

Orange Cardamom Rolls

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

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Blood Orange Cheesecake

This blood orange cheesecake is a sweet and tart, creamy dessert with a cinnamon-spiced graham cracker crust. Learn how to make a successful cheesecake here!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 360
  • Yield: 10

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 10 sheets (150 gm) honey graham crackers, crumbled finely
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 gm) brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, melted

 

For the cheesecake:

  • 11/2 pounds/ 3 blocks (680 gm) of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (155 gm) sugar
  • 3 large eggs (170 gm), room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup (80 gm) of blood orange juice (about the juice of 34 blood oranges)
  • 2 teaspoons grated blood orange zest, avoiding the pith

 

For the topping:

  • 1 cup (240 gm) heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup (50 gm) sugar

Instructions

To prepare the crust:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9″ springform pan by wrapping it in sheets of aluminum foil. I use 3 layers of extra wide foil wrapped to the top lip of the pan. Spray the inside walls and bottom of the pan with cooking spray.
  2. Stir together the dry ingredients until combined. Add the melted butter and stir just until combined. Gently pat out your mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until set.

 

To prepare the cheesecake

  1. Keep the oven preheated and get some water boiling in a kettle or saucepan for your water bath.
  2. Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer at medium speed (I use 4 on my Kitchen Aid Mixer) for 2 minutes to remove all clumps. Do not overbeat, but scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. If many clumps remain, ensure that your cream cheese has softened to room temp.
  3. Add the sugar and beat on medium for an additional 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat to combine an additional 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then add the heavy cream, vanilla, blood orange juice, and zest. Beat just to combine.
  4. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the prebaked crust. Gently rap the pan on the counter to help any air bubbles escape.
  5. Place your springform pan into a slightly larger baking dish/pan and fill the larger pan with the boiling water you prepared for the water bath until the water reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
  6. Carefully place both pans in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. After an hour of baking, the edges and top of the cheesecake should be set but still slightly jiggle in the center. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to bake for an additional 30 minutes in the oven. Prop the door of the oven open slightly with a wooden spoon and continue to cool the cheesecake for another 30 minutes in the cooling oven.
  7. Discard the water bath, remove the foil and then place the cheesecake in the fridge to chill for several hours or overnight. The cheesecake can be stored in the fridge for several days.

 

To prepare the topping:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream in it becomes frothy and thick. Add the sugar and beat to medium stiff peaks. Spread over top of the cooled cheesecake and serve!

Notes

  • I wrap my springform pan with three layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. This is to protect your crust from any water leakage of your springform pan. Many pans will claim to be waterproof but your crust will get soggy and inedible if water leakage happens. Don’t take any chances!
  • I use a 11″ round cake pan for my water bath but you can use any oven-safe dish that you have. Once of my readers used a roasting pan and that works just fine!
  • The cooling process seems lengthy and unnecessary, but it helps to prevent drastic temperature changes that can cause structural issues with your cake.

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Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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Blood Orange Bundt Cake

Blood Orange Bundt Cake Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. A vanilla and citrus scented cake made with blood orange zest and juice, this bundt cake is fluffy, moist, and an easy one bowl recipe what to make with blood oranges. The glaze is a simple blood orange juice icing that is pink and so fun to make! This makes a large bundt cake but you can adapt it to make it in round pans or even muffin tins. You could try this recipe in a tube pan with removable bottom as well. Find this winter citrus, festive cake on thewoodandspoon.com

There’s nothing like a few blood oranges and a shot of liquor to spruce up an otherwise ordinary bowl of flour and eggs- am I right? Ingredients like these take cakes from average to amazing, so I’m thrilled the share a treat like this blood orange bundt cake with you today!

Living in a fairly rural area of lower Alabama, I often have a hard time finding exotic ingredients at my grocery store. Just to be clear: I’m using the term ‘exotic” loosely here. I’m not talking ostrich eggs or black truffles or even something as basic as a tub of mascarpone cheese. In these parts, it’s a stretch some days to even get my hands on a gallon of organic milk or a bag pine nuts, okay? We’re a one grocery store town (two if you count Wal-Mart, three if you count that guy who sells watermelons and sweet potatoes out of the tailgate of his truck), so while I am a far cry from being a pioneer woman, I still have to get kinda creative with my ingredients sometimes. 

Blood Orange Bundt CakeBlood Orange Bundt Cake

Last fall, our grocery store randomly got in a shipment of leeks and I remember feeling like it was Christmas morning. Holding back tears of joy, I called a few girlfriends exclaiming, “They (sniff, sob)… have (gasp for air, more sobs)… LEEKS!” I’m pretty sure I bought three bunches of those little beauties, and Brett and I ate potato leek soup for like two weeks. Unfortunately, our plumbing hasn’t been the same since the leak incident of 2016. RIP.

Then there was the day they started carrying my favorite brand of kettle corn. When I spotted that beautiful lavender colored bag on the bottom shelf, you would’ve thought Charlie had found Mr.Wonka’s golden ticket. I dropped whatever off-brand bag of potato chips I had been considering and raced to the popcorn shelf for a closer inspection. I can’t remember, but I think I cried real tears and then bought up the shelf of popcorn like I was stocking a bomb shelter. Don’t you dare judge me for it.

Our little grocery store is small and humble, and to be honest, it can be really frustrating to not have immediate access to a lot of the ingredients that bigger stores probably carry (#firstworldproblems). But let me say this: the ladies at the checkout line know my children by name. My daughter is so obsessed with our store’s butcher that sometimes she will request a trip to the store just so “Aimee go see Willie, please mama?” I can walk to my grocery store in less than 15 minutes, drive there in less than 3, and even though it’s not much, I’d take my little hometown store situation over just about anything.

Blood Orange Bundt Cake

Recently while shopping, I spied some blood oranges in the produce department. I sang the “Hallelujah Chorus” and promptly tossed a bag in my cart. I must have kept those oranges in my fridge for nearly a week before I decided what was worthy of its fancy juice and zest, and I’m happy to say that this blood orange bundt cake is the product of those efforts in the kitchen.

A fluffy butter and egg filled batter, scented with vanilla bean and citrusy zest, this blood orange bundt cake is the best case scenario for any bit of prized produce hanging out in your fridge. This cake takes the juice and zest of quite a few blood oranges, so it is perfect for using up all of that wintertime citrus. To make the blood orange bundt cake, we start by combining a number of basic dry ingredients- flour, sugar, baking soda… you know the drill. Once well combined, we toss in a few chunks of butter and allow that to incorporate until it’s pea-sized crumbles. The blood orange juice, eggs, and zest are combined with a bit of orange liquor, and that wet mixture is added to the cake. Once whipped to a smooth and fluffy finish, the batter is poured into a large bundt cake pan and baked in the oven until golden and fragrant. 

Blood Orange Bundt CakeBlood Orange Bundt Cake

I decided to top this blood orange bundt cake with a simple glaze made of blood orange juice and powdered sugar. The blood oranges lend a rosy hue to the glaze, and while a bright pink frosted cake is rarely an elegant treat, I can promise that this cake is one all the grown-ups will write home about. It has a tender and moist crumb, an understated citrus kick, and just the right amount of sugar to make this cake perfect for breakfast or dessert. BONUS: If you, like me, live in a slightly rural area with limited access to special fruits like this, take heart! I have tried this cake with navel and mandarin oranges and I can vouch for both as substitutes. 

This blood orange bundt cake is a seasonal way to spruce up your baking game and I hope you’ll give it a try. Experimenting with new flavors, even ones that maybe aren’t so “exotic” like the citrus in this cake is an incredibly fun way to spend time in the kitchen. If you happen to spot a bag of blood oranges at the store this week, you should grab one and give this cake a try. Oh, and if you happen to be shopping at my local grocery store, you better get there quick before I buy up their stock of blood oranges. 

 

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Blood Orange Bundt Cake

This blood orange bundt cake is a sweet and citrus cake that is perfect to share with a crowd! Serve for breakfast or dessert.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 80
  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
  • Category: Cakes

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 21/2 tablespoons blood orange zest
  • 1 cup blood orange juice (about 5 blood oranges, but will vary)
  • 21/2 teaspoons orange liquor
  • 5 eggs, room temperature
  • 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 3 cups flour
  • 21/2 cups sugar
  • 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 11/4 teaspoons salt
  • 23/4 sticks of butter (11 ounces/22 tablespoons), room temperature

For the glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons blood orange juice (more, if desired)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To prepare the cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and liberally grease and flour a large 15 cup bundt cake pan.
  2. Stir together the eggs, vanilla, blood orange juice, zest, and liquor in a bowl or measuring cup and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir on low until combined, about 30 seconds. Keeping the mixer on low, add the butter one tablespoon at a time and continue to beat until the mixture is uniform and in peas-sized crumbles.
  4. Increase the speed to medium (about 4 on a stand mixer) and slowly pour in the egg and juice mixture. Continue to beat until the batter is uniformly moistened, smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for about an hour and then carefully invert on the rack to continue cooling completely.

To prepare the glaze

  1. Combine all three ingredients until no lumps of sugar remain. Add more sugar to thicken glaze slightly and add small amounts of juice, milk, or water, to thin the glaze out. I prefer to keep mine rather thick so that it will thickly coat the sides of my cake. Once the cake is cooled completely, pour the glaze over top and allow it to drizzle down the sides. Store at room temperature for up to three days.

Notes

  • This recipe is intended to be prepared in a large, 15 cup bundt cake pan. Do not fill the pan more than 3/4 of the way full or it will overflow! Pour extra batter in a cupcake pan and bake little blood orange muffins.
  • Test the viscosity of your glaze this way: run a spatula or your whisk through the glaze. It should be just thick enough that the line you dragged through the glaze nearly disappears after about 10 counted seconds. Add more powdered sugar to thicken, or more juice to thin.

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Recipe Adapted From: Jeff Mauro