Upside-down cakes always bring a little wow factor to baking, but this rhubarb upside-down cake brings some surprises too. It’s juicy, tart, sweet and a world away from everything you probably expect from rhubarb.
Many of us are guilty of underloving rhubarb at times because of its assertive sourness, but this rhubarb upside-down cake will change more than a few minds. It’s one of the great cakes to bake in spring, when rhubarb is in season and abundant at local farmers markets.
The tartness of the rhubarb is still present in the final cake, yet it’s balanced by the sugar and spice in the spongy, light cake below. And we still haven’t got to the biggest surprise of all—it’s pretty in pink and appealing to look at. You can comfortably complete the whole cake in less than an hour, and you can start with frozen rhubarb if you’re making this cake out of season.
Ingredients for Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
Rhubarb: Use fresh or frozen rhubarb, trimmed and sliced. The color doesn’t matter, but make sure the stalks have some snap in them rather than standing limp. These are the best.
Sugar: Subbing in brown sugar will mellow the sharpness in the rhubarb.
Flour: Use a little all-purpose flour just to give the surface of the rhubarb stalks some crunch.
Nutmeg: The ground nutmeg will come through during baking to give the cake its aroma.
Butter: Salted butter (melted) will help draw some of the sourness from the rhubarb and allow caramelization.
Batter:
Butter, sugar, all-purpose flour and nutmeg: You’ll need these ingredients again to make the cake batter, along with a little salt.
Egg: Choose a large egg at room temperature to bind the batter.
Baking powder: This will allow the cake to rise in a relatively short time.
Milk: The recipe calls for 2% milk to get a smooth, lump-free batter, but you can also use full-fat or your nut milk of choice.
Whipped cream (optional): The whipped cream isn’t mandatory, but it makes a cooling, creamy topping for a warm cake.
Directions
Step 1: Make the rhubarb base
Arrange the cut rhubarb pieces in an aesthetically pleasing single layer on the bottom of a greased 10-inch cast-iron pan, heavy ovenproof skillet or springform pan lined with parchment paper. Combine the sugar, flour and nutmeg, sprinkle the mix over the rhubarb, then drizzle it all liberally with the melted butter.
Step 2: Make the cake batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until blended, then beat in the egg. Combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt, sifting to remove any clumps. Gradually add this dry mixture to the egg mixture, alternating with the milk and beating well after each addition, until you have a smooth, thick batter with no lumps.
Step 3: Arrange the layers and bake
Spread the cake batter over the rhubarb base and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Loosen the edge immediately and invert the cake onto a serving dish. Serve warm with a spoonful of whipped cream.
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