Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Spring is starting to slowly melt into summer here in the Midwest.  I don't know about you, but I mark the start of summer as Memorial Day weekend.  School is out, the leaves are on the trees, flowers are starting to bloom, and the tomato plants have blossoms.  Yes, I have my garden in, the veggies are growing, and we're making our summer plans.  Memorial Day weekend is when my family organizes our lives.  We do those mundane chores that we avoid, sit down with the calendar to plan out our summer, decide where we're going, who we are going to entertain.  We also have a big cookout with friends and family.


Since Noah handles the grill and the smoker, I'm in charge of prep, sides and dessert.  The rhubarb plants are huge right now, and ripe for picking.  I never liked rhubarb as a kid, but wow, as an adult I can't get enough of it!  Rhubarb pie, strawberry rhubarb crisp, and my personal favorite, rhubarb upside-down cake.  While cruising the "Martha-verse" a few years ago, I ran across this recipe and was smitten.  I love upside-down cakes.  This one is amazing, and so delicious.  I hope my readers enjoy this cake as much as I do, and that it's a smash hit for your Memorial Day BBQ.


Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

For The Topping

3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar

For The Cake

1 1/2 sticks salted butter, room temperature, plus more for buttering pan
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut on a very sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until moist and crumbly.

Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Dot with 4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces). Toss rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar; let stand for 2 minutes. Toss again, and spread in pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Beat remaining stick butter and cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in zest and juice. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, until smooth. Spread evenly over rhubarb. Crumble topping evenly over batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top springs back when touched, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.