Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

I'm filling in for Sara today. She has family and friends visiting from away. When I posted this Apple-Rhubarb Crisp recipe Sara had left me this nice comment:

"Oh, I'm so jealous of your fresh rhubarb!! It always reminds me of summers at my grandparents' house :) "

I've been very busy this past week in our rhubarb patch but I wanted to do the neighborly thing for Sara (albeit virtual) and bake a desert to bring over for her company to enjoy. Let's keep Sara out of the kitchen so she has more time for visiting. ;)

I found this recipe in May issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

For the Topping:

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 1/4 Cup Sugar

For the Cake:

• 1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, room temperature, plus more for buttering pan
• 1 lb. Rhubarb, trimmed and cut on a very sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick
• 1 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon finely grated orange zest (I chose not to use this) plus 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Sour Cream ( I substituted homemade yogurt)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Stir together, (I used my fingers), butter, flour, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until moist and crumbly.
2. Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Dot with 4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces). Toss rhubarb with 3.4 cup sugar; let stand.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Beat remaining stick butter and cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in zest and juice. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream/yogurt, until smooth.

Let's start assembling this cake!

Toss the rhubarb again and spread in pan.

Spread cake batter evenly over rhubarb.

Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top spring back when touched, about 1 hour. ( I found I needed a half our more!)

Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake, and invert onto serving plate.

Let cool completely before serving. Warning! This is a very rich cake!
Sara, enjoy your company this week. Take time to visit over coffee and cake. :)


I gave this recipe 4 spoons. It was yummy and useful but I didn't like that the recipe's cooking time was so far off.