Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
photography by Talitha Schroeder
It’s rhubarb season! And it doesn’t last long, so take advantage of it by making this cardamom-scented upside-down cake, with its slight crunch of cornmeal and hint of orange zest.
Ingredients
¾ cup unsalted butter
½ cup packed light brown sugar
4 stalks of rhubarb (~12oz), trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces*
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal, preferably stone-ground such as Weisenberger Mill
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 T orange zest, preferably organic
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup well-shaken buttermilk, at room temperature
Directions
Preheat to 350 degrees.
In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low to medium heat, melt the butter. Transfer ½ cup of the melted butter to a small bowl. Add the brown sugar to the remaining butter in the skillet and stir until just combined, about 1 minute; spread into an even layer and remove from the heat.
*Leave one stalk of rhubarb uncut before you begin placing pieces, flat-side down, on top of the sugar in an even layer without overlapping, trimming them as needed to fit. (A chevron pattern makes it look extra-fancy, but go with any design you want.) You’ll need a variety of lengths, so having an extra uncut stalk gives you the freedom to cut to size as you put in the last pieces!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined.
Rub orange zest with the sugar then in a large bowl, whisk together with eggs and vanilla until well incorporated. Whisk in half of the flour-cornmeal mixture. Add all of the buttermilk, stirring until the batter is homogenous. Add the rest of the flour-cornmeal mixture, stirring until combined.
Stir the ½ cup of reserved melted butter into the batter in two to three additions, fully incorporating each new addition before adding the next. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the skillet and spread it evenly.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the skillet for 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter. You want to do this while the cake is still warm so it does not stick. Let cool for at least 30 minutes or to room temperature before cutting into wedges and serving.
NOTE: This cake can also be baked in a 9-inch springform or round cake pan with 5 to 10 minutes added to the baking time. If using a springform pan, wrap the bottom of the pan with foil and/or bake on a baking sheet in case of leaks.
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