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close up shot of Rhubarb Upside Down Cake with a slice being taken out of it
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5 from 4 votes

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

Tart, sweet red rhubarb tops a deliciously moist cake to make this rhubarb upside down cake the perfect choice for a summer dessert.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Rhubarb Upside Down Cake Recipe
Servings: 8
Calories: 276kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups rhubarb (washed, dried, and cut into ½-inch pieces)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • ⅔ cup whole milk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Cut washed rhubarb into ½ inch pieces.
  • Spread in a lightly greased 9 inch pan to make an even layer in the bottom of the pan.
  • In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup sugar with the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the rhubarb.
  • Bake rhubarb for 15 minutes, remove and let cool slightly.
  • While the rhubarb is cooling, in a medium bowl place the flour and baking powder. Whisk together.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and the butter using a hand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix on medium speed until blended in.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk and mixing just until combined on low speed with each addition, raising speed toward the end if necessary as the batter thickens. Don’t overmix.
  • Pour cake batter over the rhubarb. Gently smooth the batter to cover the layer of rhubarb. Place back in the oven and continue to bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top has browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes (until you can safely touch the bottom of the pan and the bottom of the pan is just barely warm). Then place your serving platter centered on top of the cake pan and quickly invert to loosen the cake out of the pan and onto the serving platter.
  • Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes

  • It is very important to make sure that you do not eat the leaves or root/bottom stem area of rhubarb as it will make you sick.
  • You can buy pre-cut parchment paper rounds to make lining the pan even easier.
  • You could also bake your cake in a cast iron skillet or a bundt cake pan. 
  • Don’t over-mix the batter, or your cake will be tough and rubbery.

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 1mg