It’s nothing more than trimmed rhubarb mixed with some sugar, fresh orange juice, orange zest and fresh vanilla bean (seeds scraped out, pod set aside) swirled over heat until just combined. Place that mixture at the bottom of a pan (I used a disposable cardboard baking pan) and then a butter cake batter added on top. Bake until cooked, let it rest for a few minutes and turn it upside down on a platter, hoping that all the rhubarb comes out easily. It was SUPERB! Why have I not thought to do something like this before? The tart moist rhubarb with copious amounts of fresh vanilla bean sink into the rich butter cake and it is a marriage made in cooking heaven. I don’t have a recipe, just threw everything together hoping it would turn into something edible. And this was definitely EDIBLE. There are several upside-down rhubarb cake recipes on the net, I just googled it. :)
9 Responses
What makes upside-down cakes marvelous is the steaming provided by whatever was at the bottom. It’s such a natural way to moisten a cake without resorting to liquids + emulsifiers or the traditional basting of the done cake with syrup.
What a beauty!
ummmmmmm…..ahhhhhhh…
I’m loving your deluge of posts! :)
Your guava jelly + slices of stewed native pink guavas might be something to try next time. Lots of butter in the cake batter is a must.
Sliced thickly and served with tea, it’s a perfect weekend snack!
Kasseopeia says: “I’m loving your deluge of posts!”
Proust did not write of the constancy of love but its intermittence.
Looks really good MM!! :)
Been craving for some butter cake!!
Looks definitely worth a try!
Where can you get rhubarb in Manila?
The steam that rises from the bottom of the pan is responsible for making the texture palatable and appealing. This is a vital procedure in upside down cakes, since it is a natural way to moisten the layers without the need to use liquids or emulsifiers. By ensuring that the steam makes its way to every layer, you could do without adding syrup on the cake, which is a traditional process done at the end, to soften the cake. However, in case of a rhubarb butter cake, you really cannot do without a generous serving of syrup.