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Rhubarb upside down cake is the ultimate spring dessert! A light and fluffy rye cake is topped with a sweet and tangy rhubarb topping. It looks impressive but it’s very simple to make with pantry staple ingredients. Pair it with these Spinach Enchiladas for the ultimate spring-inspired meal!
Nothing says spring like a rhubarb upside down cake! Rhubarb has a uniquely sour and tart flavor that pairs so well with strawberries like in this Rhubarb Strawberry Pink Peppercorn Pie, Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp or this Strawberry Sheet Cake with Rhubarb Frosting. If you love the flavor of rhubarb by itself, check out these Roasted Rhubarb Scone Sandwiches with Vanilla Bean Glaze!
Upside down cakes are maybe my favorite type of cake because they’re ridiculously easy. No layers. No frosting to make.
I always like creating patterns if I can. And this one couldn’t be simpler, all that’s really required is cutting the ribs of rhubarb to fit the pan, after they’ve cooked with the sugar, vanilla bean and butter.
And let me tell you, butter and rhubarb are SO good together.
If you know me, you know I love rye. It might be my favorite flour of all but it definitely needs to be mixed with all-purpose to give it a lighter texture and Yossy did that. It’s a 1 to 1 ratio and it results in a tender and hearty crumb with a nice zing from the buttermilk.
I love this spring-y cake so very much.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
- Rhubarb – This vibrant spring vegetable is sour and tastes so good when cooked with sugar, vanilla and tons of butter!
- Vanilla bean – Has a bolder vanilla flavor than just using regular vanilla extract. I prefer using vanilla bean for this recipe but both are fine to use!
- All-purpose flour and rye flour – Regular all-purpose flour is mixed with rye flour in a 1:1 ratio to give this rhubarb cake a unique flavor and a tender and hearty crumb!
- Buttermilk – Gives the cake a nice zing and it reacts with the baking soda giving the cake a light and fluffy texture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand whole milk with a little bit of lemon juice will do the trick!
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
- For the rhubarb topping: In a skillet combine sugar, butter, vanilla seeds from the vanilla pod, lemon zest and salt. Cook on medium-low heat until the sugar and butter has melted then add in the rhubarb. Continue cooking until the rhubarb is juicy and slightly tender, set aside then allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
- Add rhubarb to cake pan: You can place the rhubarb into the pan so that it fits in one layer or create a pattern. For this recipe I sliced a some of the rhubarb ribs into 9 inch pieces and few into 6 inch pieces and the rest were cut as needed to fit and fill in the rest of the pan. Once finished, pour over the remaining syrup.
- For the cake: In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the dry ingredients until combined. Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time, then the vanilla extract. Alternate adding in the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, then pour the batter evenly over the rhubarb.
- Bake the cake: Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes then invert it onto a serving platter. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream or ice cream!
Tips and Tricks
If your rhubarb ribs are wide. Feel free to cut them lengthwise. That way it makes cooking them and designing the top of the cake more manageable.
Use parchment paper. That way your cake will come out in one piece and won’t get stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Recipe FAQs
The best time to flip an upside down cake is while it’s still hot, usually 15 – 20 minutes after removing it from the oven. If you wait too long the cake can get stuck to the pan making it harder to come out in one piece.
These cakes get their name because the toppings- usually fruit in some kind of syrup is placed on the bottom of the cake pan and the cake batter is pour over top. After the cake has baked, the cake is flipped over so it’s “upside down”, and the fruit and syrup are on the top.
More Cake Recipes
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Rye Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Rhubarb Topping:
- 1 pound 450g rhubarb, leaves removed, *cut a few into 9-inch pieces (these will act as the center) and the others into 6-inch pieces
- 1 vanilla bean
- 3/4 cup 150g granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup 55g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon or Meyer lemon zest, I used Meyer because that’s what I had
- Pinch of salt
Cake:
- 1 cup 125g all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 130g rye flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups 335ml buttermilk, at room temperature
To serve:
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream or ice cream
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan, that’s 3 inches tall, line it with parchment paper, and butter that too. Dust the pan and paper with flour.
- To make the rhubarb topping: Use the tip of a knife to split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds; reserve the pod for another use. Combine the sugar, butter, vanilla seeds, lemon zest, and salt in a skillet and set over medium low heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and butter begin to melt together then add the rhubarb. Cook the rhubarb, turning it occasionally in the pan, until it is juicy, slightly tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set it aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- At this point, you have some options: If you’d like to create a pattern like I did, place the 9-inch rib of rhubarb in the very center and then place a slightly shorter one next to it. And then repeat, trimming the rhubarb as needed, until you reach the edge of the pan. Next, place the rhubarb, trimming as needed, in a perpendicular to the first bit of rhubarb (consult the photos for more assistance). Pour the remaining syrup that’s in the pan over the rhubarb. Alternatively, you can just place the rhubarb in the pan and arrange in one flat layer.
- To make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose and rye flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together at medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk in three additions and mix until just combined. Carefully pour the batter over the rhubarb in the pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake the cake until the top is golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving platter. Remove the parchment paper and reposition any rhubarb that has stuck to the paper. Cut into wedges and serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if you like. The cake is best serve the day that it’s made.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love this spring-y cake so very much. My rhubarb ribs are large too, so I also cut them lengthwise, just like yours.
Yes, Adrianna, ” I just used a super sharp knife.” 🙂