Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
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I now bake this Easy Rhubarb Uside-Down Cake every year as soon as the rhubarb season starts. It’s much easier to make than it looks. I use a simple sponge, a classic springform pan and beautiful red rhubarb stalks. It’s my absolute favorite recipe when rhubarb season is short and time is short!
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Rhubarb upside-down cake
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Equipment
- 9.5-inch springform pan (24 cm)
Ingredients
For the rhubarb
- 20 oz rhubarb stalks (5-6 stalks)
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp strawberry jelly optional
For the cake batter
- 6.2 oz butter (175 g), unsalted and soft
- ¾ cup sugar (150 g)
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups flour (250 g)
- 1 cup ground almonds or almond flour (100 g)
- 2½ tsp baking powder (10 g)
- ⅓ + 1 tbsp cup milk (90 ml) at room temperature
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar using a stand mixer or hand mixer until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually mix in the flour, almond flour (almond powder), and baking powder until just combined.
- Stir in the milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, mixing until the batter is smooth and evenly incorporated.
- Grease the sides of your springform pan with butter and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Sprinkle the parchment with a light dusting of sugar and pour a tbsp of butter.
- Slice your rhubarb stalks lengthwise to fit your design. Arrange them directly onto the parchment paper in your chosen pattern (refer to my tips above for the perfect geometric look!).
- Chop any remaining rhubarb into small pieces and fold them into the cake batter.
- Pour the batter over the rhubarb pattern, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 40 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen it, then remove the springform ring. Place a serving plate over the cake and, in one confident motion, flip it upside-down. Gently peel away the parchment paper to reveal your design.
- While the cake is still warm, microwave your jam for a few seconds until melted and smooth. Brush the warm glaze over the rhubarb to make that vibrant red color pop.
- Allow the cake to cool on a cooling rack slightly before slicing it.
Nutrition
Prepping Your Rhubarb for The Upside-Down Cake
As soon as I bring this cake, almost everyone asks me: “But Géraldine, don’t you peel your rhubarb at all?” No, these days it’s usually no longer necessary! In the past, the varieties were often tougher and woodier, but modern varieties such as pink rhubarb are much more tender. I like to keep the peel on, especially for this crumbled cake, because it gives it that great red color.
To make the cake taste really intensely of rhubarb, I divide up the rhubarb:
- Long sticks for the look: I cut these to fit the size of the springform pan. They will later form the pretty pattern on the top (I’ll show you how to do this in details below).
- Small pieces in the dough: The leftovers go directly into the dough in small pieces. This makes the dough juicier and not too dry.
Step-by-Step to Make A Moist Cake Batter
For this quick rhubarb cake, I use a classic cake batter made from eggs, butter, milk, flour, sugar and baking powder. To make sure it stays nice and moist and fluffy, I have a few tricks for you:
- Ground almonds: They give the batter a fine structure and keep it moist.
- Rhubarb in the batter: I incorporate small rhubarb pieces directly into the batter. They soften up nicely during baking and make the cake even juicier.
How to mix the cake batter:
- Cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light in color. Then beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Mix the flour, baking powder and ground almonds and mix briefly with the milk. I like to add lemon zest and vanilla extract.
- Carefully fold in the chopped rhubarb (leftovers from the bottom part) so that it can release its moisture directly into the batter during baking.
Very important tip: only mix the batter until all the ingredients are combined! If you work the batter for too long, the cake will become hard after baking.
How To Make The Rhubarb Pattern
Now let’s move on to my favorite part: the pattern on the cake! I use the ‘upside-down’ technique, just like with a Tarte Tatin: I place the rhubarb at the bottom and flip the cake over once it’s baked. To make the pattern :
- Line the base of the tin with baking paper and lightly grease the edges.
- Then I help myself with a piece of baking paper, which I cut out to the size of the pan and then fold into quarters. This allows me to cut the rhubarb stalks to fit exactly before they go into the mold.
- I spread a little butter and sugar on the base before I lay the pattern so that a caramel layer forms during baking. Then I carefully pour the cake batter over it.
- After baking, remove the sides of the springform pan, place a large plate on top of the cake and flip it over. After turning the cake over, carefully remove the baking paper.
- Finally, brush the warm rhubarb with warm strawberry jelly. This seals the surface and makes the rhubarb even redder!
3 Tips to Keep Your Cake Moist for Days
There is nothing more frustrating than a cake that is dry the very next day. As this rhubarb cake has a lot of moisture due to the pieces in the batter and on the surface, there are just a few things you should keep in mind when storing it:
- Allow to cool properly: Rhubarb absorbs moisture. Never cover the cake airtight while it is still warm, otherwise it will become soggy.
- Day 1 – Room temperature: To keep the sponge nice and fluffy, I always keep cakes with sponge at room temperature. Preferably in a cool place under a cake cover.
- Day 2 – Refrigerator: If you do need to keep the cake for longer, store it in the refrigerator from day 2 onwards. This will prevent the rhubarb on top from getting too mushy.
If you’re a fan of rhubarb like me, check out my famous geometric rhubarb tart or the traditional rhubarb tart with almond cream. For a simple dessert, I recommend this recipe for rice pudding with vanilla and rhubarb compote.
FAQ about Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
Yes, that works wonderfully. But let it defrost completely beforehand and pat it dry well so that the batter doesn’t get too much extra liquid.
I recommend using a standard springform pan with a diameter of 9-10 inches (24 cm) for this recipe. This gives the cake the perfect height for the ratio between the pastry and the fruit.
This is usually because it has been covered too warm. The steam cannot escape and makes the crust soft. It is best to leave it to cool completely on a cake rack.
Of course! You can also use apricot jam or redcurrant jelly. The only important thing is that it is light or reddish so that the look of the rhubarb is nicely emphasized.
I made this today and it’s delicious!
Thank you!
I loved this. It was a challenge but it turned out perfectly. Thanks xx
So happy you liked it and it turned out nice 🙂
This was really delicious and simple too 🙂 Will be making this more this spring!
So happy you liked it 🙂
This is the best recipe I found in Internet in few years! My partner brought some rhubarb; I tried it fresh first time, and didn’t like it at all. I immediately thought of this recipe and it was soo worth it.
It’s fascinating how the rhubarb transformed and turned to be sooo delish in this cake, not to mention the pattern looked amazing. And the batter can be a great base for any other seasonal plants, like apricots, plums, etc. If you can, do try it with almond flour and lemon zest and generally stick to the instructions, I also added few drops of bitter almond flavour. Gorgeous recipe and the result, will add to my cookbook.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you gave the recipe a try and enjoyed it, especially after your first experience with rhubarb. And sure, you can try it with other fruits, abricots will be delicious too!
Great recipe, simple to follow and super easy to adapt! Even with a few substitutions for dietary requirements this came out beautiful and delicious; it rose nicely and browned perfectly on the sides. Would love to make this one again next time rhubarb is in season!
Super recette, merci!!
I tried this recipe yesterday and was surprised how easy it was! The geometric pattern that the rhubarb stalks created were my favorite detail. everyone enjoyed the fresh rhubarb from the farmers market in this homemade cake.
What size cake pan did you use? Thanks!
Thank you for the recipe. Can you please mention the size of the tin in this recipe? Many thanks!