This rhubarb upside-down cake does not include any oddly colored fruit, although I do recommend using the reddest rhubarb you have access to. I think it looks a lot prettier, but green rhubarb will work just fine. After all, it's how it tastes that really counts.
This cake batter is a bit fussy to pull together, so remember to put your butter and eggs on the counter in advance long enough to let them come up to room temperature. Take your time creaming the butter, adding in the sugar, and then the eggs one at a time. It truly does make a difference in the texture of the final cake.
Fussy or not, the final results make it all worth it. Look at that lovely cake! Great with a scoop of ice cream all in the same bowl while the cake is still warm and the ice cream gets that little bit melty. Mmmm!
rhubarb, 2 cups, washed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
buttermilk, for brushing the top of the cake
baking powder, for sprinkling on the bottom of the pan
kosher salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Set aside. Dice rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces and place in the baking dish.
Combine baking powder, salt, and all purpose flour in a bowl and mix well.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
Add in the buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and stir gently until everything is incorporated. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm or room temperature.
This is a very simple recipe that I came up with last year when my sister was visiting me. She loves rhubarb, so I thought it would be fun to make something different than just pie. It's also perfect because rhubarb season is almost over! If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for about 3 days.
