Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

2 Reviews
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Christina Schmidhofer
Yield
Makes 8 servings
By Louise Galen, Los Angeles, CA
March 2005
RECIPE BY Sunset

Louise Galen's upside-down cake has the classic version's gooey caramel but is less sweet because it's made with rhubarb and crème fraîche.

Prep and cook time: About 1 1/4 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups sliced rhubarb (1/2 in. thick)
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon or orange juice
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 carton (7 1/2 to 8 oz.) crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 552
  • Caloriesfromfat 52%
  • Protein 6.7g
  • Fat 32g
  • Satfat 17g
  • Carbohydrate 62g
  • Fiber 1.3g
  • Sodium 356mg
  • Cholesterol 117mg

How to Make It

Step 1

In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the rhubarb, lemon peel, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Step 2

In a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter; add brown sugar, bourbon, and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice; stir often until caramel has thickened and is medium brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Spread in a buttered 9-inch round cake pan (with 2-in.-tall sides).

Step 3

Arrange pecans over caramel. Scatter rhubarb mixture on top.

Step 4

In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat remaining 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until blended. Beat in eggs until smooth. Beat in baking powder, vanilla, and salt, half the crème fraîche, then half the flour; repeat with remaining crème fraîche and flour. Drop spoonfuls of batter over rhubarb; spread smooth.

Step 5

Bake in a 350° oven until cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool on a rack 15 minutes.

Step 6

Run a knife between cake and pan sides. Invert onto a plate. Serve warm.

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Ratings & Reviews

cynthiatalbot's Review

cynthiatalbot
June 11, 2011
The cake was moist and delicious, the pecans and caramel added a nice touch. but the rhubarb was way too sour for my taste. I would suggest doubling the sugar, if not more.

PenelopeRB's Review

PenelopeRB
May 21, 2010
Delicious! I had to make a few substitutions as this was a spur of the moment baking project. I used limes and a bit of lemonade instead of lemons, sour cream and a tad of vanilla yogurt in place of crème fraîche, and Whiskey in place of Bourbon. This is an easy, very tasty cake. The crumb is moist but not heavy, and tangy. I cut down the sugar by about a 1/4 cup. It took about 46 minutes to bake, at Boulder Co altitude. Great warm, with some vanilla ice cream.