Summer in Minnesota means rhubarb, it seems like almost every yard here has a rhubarb patch. If you don’t have one in your yard chances are there’s some in your neighbors yard. When I was a kid it was perfectly normal to grab a couple stalks of rhubarb and dunk the ends in a plate of sugar while we were playing outside.

When I found this recipe for Rhubarb Upside Down Cake in the book Great Rhubarb Recipes it made me think of my grandma baking with rhubarb and I decided to try making it. I love the sweet and tart of rhubarb but when you mix it with this amazing cake batter it just melts in your mouth.

I’ve seen recipes for dump cakes with rhubarb and a cake mix, which I might still try in the future but nothing beats the flavor of a homemade cake batter.

I still have a lot more rhubarb to pick this year and a couple new rhubarb cookbooks so I’m sure I’ll be sharing more recipes. I just love that you can take a simple plant growing in your backyard and turn it into so many great desserts or snacks!

Feel free to share your favorite rhubarb recipes or memories in the comments below.

What is Rhubarb Upside Down Cake?

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake is a wonderful dessert where the rhubarb is placed at the bottom of the baking pan before the batter is poured in. As the name suggests, once the cake is baked, it’s flipped over to reveal a gorgeous layer of caramelized rhubarb on top.

This offers a unique combination of flavors, with the tartness of the rhubarb perfectly balancing the sweetness of the cake. It’s an appealing treat for both the eyes and the taste buds, serving as an excellent dessert for any occasion.

Ingredients

• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Fresh rhubarb
• Sugar
• Vegetable oil
• Egg
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Milk

How to make Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt the butter in a 9 – by 13 – inch baking pan or a 9-inch round baking pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar and then the rhubarb evenly over the butter.

To make the batter, combine the sugar and oil in a large bowl. Beat in the egg.

In a medium – sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture alternately with the milk, adding about one – third of the flour or milk at a time.

Pour the batter over the rhubarb.

Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Carefully turn the cake onto a serving platter. Serve with cream, if desired.

TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE

(Amazon affiliate links)- These are the tools I use when making this recipe!

• KitchenAid Go™ Cordless Hand Mixer – Designed with a powerful rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery, the new cordless hand mixer delivers optimal run time and performance, so you can cook wherever*, whatever, and however you choose.
• Pyrex glass mixing bowl – The Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl is handy to store in the fridge and freezer when you need to freeze contents or keep them fresh.
• Great Rhubarb Recipes – Rhubarb is delicious at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and in cakes, breads, desserts, jams, and more. And it’s easy to grow and hardy. In this bulletin, you’ll find expert tips on growing and buying rhubarb, as well as 38 fresh and delicious recipes that will inspire you to use rhubarb creatively. So grab a few stalks and get cooking–and eating!
•  Wilton Baking Pan–this nonstick baking pan works great for making cakes, brownies, cinnamon rolls and more and they have their own lid.
• Silicone Mixing Spoon–The perfect spoons to keep your nonstick pans scratch free.
• Le Creuset Nonstick Metal Bakeware Cooling Rack – Quickly cool your baked treats on the Nonstick Cooling Rack, or use it for baking and roasting. An innovative silicone coating ensures easy release and effortless cleanup.