Blood Orange Cake

serves 8

1 cup plus 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened 
⅔ cup brown sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 medium blood oranges
1 cup fine cornmeal 
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp cardamom
½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar 
4 large eggs, room temperature
⅓ cup plain yogurt

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and lemon juice; stirring until sugar melts. Transfer to cake pan. Grate 2 tsp zest, then slice off ends of oranges. Cut away rind and pith from each orange. Slice into ¼-inch rounds; discard seeds. Arrange in pan on top of brown sugar mixture.

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, combine butter, sugar and orange zest. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in yogurt. Fold in dry mixture with a spatula.

Transfer batter to pan, covering oranges. Bake until golden brown, 45 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then loosen edges with a knife and invert onto a platter. Cool completely before serving.