The rhubarb season is short, so it’s a good idea for rhubarb lovers to get their fill of great desserts from March through June. There are hundreds of good recipes made with rhubarb, which is, incidentally, a vegetable with high nutritional value. Rhubarb is quite sour, so it’s necessary to use enough sugar, but even with sugar, the taste is a little sweet and a lot sour. It’s luscious paired in cakes with custard, or bars with a shortbread crust. However, a favorite way to use this delicious vegetable is in Buttery Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

The cake for this delicious dessert is one that I have used often after finding it in a Banana cookbook and adapting it to my own methods. The cake is buttery and delicious, and perfect under the sweet/tart rhubarb topping. It’s difficult to eat just one serving. One of my Official Hancock tasters, my son-in-law, ate a full half of the cake when he first tasted it, and that’s fine with me; there were absolutely no leftovers. Serve it with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

12 Servings


Topping:
4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 cup melted butter

Cake:
1 1/3 cups softened butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Spray a 9" deep dish pie dish with nonstick spray (or use a 9" square baking dish).
3. Make the topping: Place the rhubarb in a large bowl; add the sugar, flour, salt, and cardamom. and mix well.
4. Stir in the melted butter.
5. Pour the filling into the prepared pie dish.
6. Cake: Cream the butter and sugars until very light; add the eggs and vanilla.
7. Measure the self-rising flour, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt into a fine strainer set over the butter mixture; shake through.
8. With the mixer on low speed, mix until smooth; spread over the rhubarb mixture.
9. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Remove from the oven and let sit 10 minutes.
11. Run a knife around the edges and invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature. with a scoop of sweetened whipped cream or a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Will keep a day or two in stored in an airtight container.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 404 Calories from Fat 228
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 56% Protein 3% Carb. 41%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 25 g
Saturated Fat 15 g
Cholesterol 101 mg
Sodium 517 mg
Total Carbohydrate 41 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 17 g
Protein 3 g

Vitamin A 20% Vitamin C 4% Calcium 0% Iron 4%