Caramelized Rhubarb Cake

Rhubarb has to be one of my favourite "fruits" to bake with....the tangy, sourness is a perfect complement to the sweetness of caramel. This cake is an upside down cake, with the rhubarb caramelizing on the bottom of the pan while the cake bakes on top. Flip it over and you are looking at tender rhubarb, sweet caramel and moist cake.

I wanted to use some of the rhubarb in the garden, but also saw an opportunity to finish off the sour cream in the fridge.

Turn the oven on to 350F while you make the cake. Assemble a 10" springform pan and wrap the bottom in foil to catch any caramel drips. Place the cake pan onto a baking sheet.

Start the caramel over a medium low heat:

3 ounces butter
3/4 cup brown sugar

When the butter has melted, increase the heat and whisk to incorporate the sugar into the melted butter.

Once the sugar and butter have emulsified, allow the mixture to come to a boil.

Whisk in:

1 tablespoon dark rum

Scrape the caramel into the prepared springform pan, swirling the pan to spread it evenly.

Place 1/4" - 1/2" thick rhubarb slices on top of the caramel.

Set aside while you make the batter.

Cream together until light and fluffy:

3 ounces softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar

Add:

2 eggs
1 tablespoon rum
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down in between.

Add half of the dry ingredients. The total dry ingredients are:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix until just combined.

Add:

6 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons milk







Add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Scrape the batter onto the rhubarb.

Carefully spread the cake batter evenly over the rhubarb, being careful not to disturb the pieces of rhubarb.

Bake until the cake is golden and a wooden skewer comes out clean when you test it, about 22 - 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes.





Run a knife around the sides of the cake, releasing it from the pan. Place a plate on top and carefully invert it, allowing the cake to fall onto the plate. Remove the foil, and then the springform pan. Cool to room temperature.

The cake is best served warm, with some ice cream or whipped cream.

• Start the caramel off slowly, allowing the butter to melt, and then whisking to incorporate the sugar as is dissolves. If you turn the heat up too soon, the sugar could burn.
• Once the caramel has come to a boil, remove it from the heat before adding the rum as it will bubble up.
• Do not touch the caramel when you pour it into the pan!!! It remains very hot for a while.
• Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, as it is the stem of the plant, but is often considered to be a fruit. It can also be used for savoury applications, such as in the post Grilled Chicken with Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce.
• Any seasonal fruit can be used...try apples or pears; peaches or necatrines; plums or apricots; bananas or pineapple.
• Sprinkle roughly chopped nuts over the caramel before adding the fruit if you wish.
• Other complementary flavours for rhubarb are fresh or dried ginger, orange zest, nutmeg or cardamom, maple syrup.
• If you do not have sour cream, use plain yoghurt or buttermilk.
• The rum can be omitted. Use orange juice instead.