Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
Here is a decadent dessert recipe perfect for a sweet summer treat. The perfect blend of lemon and rhubarb! Easy and delicious!
What is Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a perennial plant that grows in cool climates, and it is at its peak during late spring and early summer. The stalks are the edible part of the plant and are harvested from April to June every year. Depending on the type of the plant, the stems can be green or red, and the taste can vary from sour to a subtler sweet and bitter.
Health Benefits
Rhubarb is packed with vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C and K, iron, potassium, and magnesium. The vitamin K content of rhubarb helps you maintain strong, healthy bones. and prevent blood clotting. The vitamin A in rhubarb may also help to fight free radicals that cause skin damage and premature aging, keeping your skin looking healthy and youthful. It’s also high in antioxidants.
How To Prepare and Cook Rhubarb
Choose fresh rhubarb that has firm, intact stalks and use it as soon as possible. Cut rhubarb just before you plan to cook it so the pieces don't dry out and lose essential vitamins and minerals.
To prepare rhubarb, trim the leaves first. Never eat the leaves of rhubarb! They contain a high concentration of the poisonous compound oxalic acid.
Wash the rhubarb under cool, running water. Cut the stalks into cubes and further prepare them by blanching in water or cooking in their own juice.
Rhubarb is often used in sauces, pies, muffins, and cakes. Rhubarb sauce can be served as a side to meat or served over ice cream or pound cake.
Use your own fresh rhubarb, find a farmers market or find a neighbour who will trade stalks for the recipe.
In my case, my neighbour kindly handed rhubarb over the fence from their garden, and I have prepared that deliciously tender sweet cake rhubarb!
Ingredients
For Poached Rhubarb:
5-6 stalks of fresh rhubarb
100g caster suger
400 ml water (approximative)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
For the Batter:
160g all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
150g granulated sugar
115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
120g sour cream
4 Tbsp brown sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
To serve:
sweetened whipped cream (optional)
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Method
1. Heat oven to 180°F(350°F), Fun 160°F.(325°F). Line the bottom of a 23 cm (9-inch) springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the paper and sides of the pan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Set aside.
Make The Poached Rhubarb
2. In a saucepan, put rhubarb. Add sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, for 5 minutes or until rhubarb is crisp-tender, stirring to dissolve sugar.
3. Remove from heat, strain and pour into the prepared cake pan, tilting it back and forth to cover the entire bottom evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar (2 tablespoons) and lemon zest. Set aside.
Make The Batter
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
5. In a bowl, beat together sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add sour cream and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually, add the flour mixture to the batter, beating until just moistened.
6. Carefully pour the batter into the pan on top of the fruit layer. Spoon in the batter so it covers all of the rhubarb.
7. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for few minutes (10 min). Run a knife around edge to loosen.
8. Place serving dish upside down on top of the cake pan and invert the cake onto the plate. Cool completely. If you desire, serve with whipped cream.
Enjoy!
It’s always summer somewhere.- Lilly Pulitzer
