Rhubarb Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
You don’t need to pre-cook the rhubarb in this Rhubarb Blueberry Upside-Down Cake! A delicious cake made in a springform pan; dust with powdered sugar!
Friends, are you ready to make the perfect breakfast cake? A little warning about this Rhubarb Blueberry Upside-Down Cake, it’s so good, you can’t stop at one bite. Oh, and it’s great for a dinner dessert, too!
You may have already tried this Rhubarb Buttermilk Coffee Cake (great for overnight company)!
Delicious for brunch, a perfect pairing to highlight warm summer mornings, sitting on the back deck, maybe just enjoying your family. I say “just” because it’s true, we don’t always host. I am very family-oriented and believe in protecting family time. Some of my favorite times are ordinary family moments.
[Want to learn more about our DIY Sunset Magazine Inspired Outdoor Sectional or Alder the Whoodle?]
I’ve learned more about this over time. Years ago, I never would have been comfortable saying this. I would have been saying, who can we invite, and I’d over-pack our schedule.
The seasons of life come and go, and you get a sense for what is best for your family.
Even in the midst of seasons, you can reach out to people and show your love and hospitality! Send a note, text a friend, go to lunch, meet for dinner. Today I’m sending out 8 graduation cards, and I’ve already emailed a few friends this morning.
Rhubarb Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
So whether you’re hosting or just enjoying family time, I promise your people will love this cake! Let it cool for 20 minutes before releasing it from the springform pan.
Serve and enjoy! And stay connected, friends!
Do you cook the rhubarb?
It really depends on the recipe. For this upside-down cake, you do NOT need to cook the rhubarb first. Easy! But for my friend Toni’s Rhubarb Fool: Light British Dessert, you definitely cook it down.
But if you do cook it (for other recipes). you simmer the stalks and reduce to its juices (your cake will be soggy).
If you bake with raw rhubarb, the texture is just right, but the color will be more pink (rather than bright red). No worries. The rhubarb is tangy and tender, and sweet from all the dark brown sugar. Are you drooling yet?
Can I use frozen rhubarb in a cake?
Rhubarb freezes like a dream, but it’s too mushy for this cake when it’s thawed. Frozen rhubarb is great for pies though!
Do I need to peel rhubarb?
Peeling rhubarb is not necessary, but I peeled some of the skin off each stalk, just as you would peel the strings out of a celery stalk.
For this cake, allow to cool before dusting with powdered sugar, or it just melts (and it doesn’t look as pretty).
Flip the cake over; allow to cool and sit for at least 20 minutes.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve!
Happy hosting!
Get the Recipe:
Rhubarb Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature, + more to grease pans
- 3 cups cubed rhubarb, about 1/2 inch thick
- 3/4 cup blueberries
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 cups flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Zest of 1 large orange, grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 4 large eggs
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tsp. orange juice
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the paper and sides of the pan. Wrap two layers of foil under the pan, and place it on a baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, mix rhubarb and blueberries, cornstarch and 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
- Mix the brown sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a pan over medium heat. Whisk until smooth and bubbling for 2 minutes. Pour the brown-sugar mixture into the cake pan and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Whip 1 cup butter in a mixer for 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup sugar with orange zest, and cream together until it is light and fluffy, for 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and almond extract and mix well.
- Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream and orange juice (it might look curdled). Slowly add in the flour, and mix on low for 2 minutes.
- On top of the brown sugar mixture in the springform pan, spoon in the rhubarb & blueberry mixture and its juices. Next, spoon in the batter so it covers all of the rhubarb.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the top of the cake is firm to touch, and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.
- Place the pan on a wire rack, and cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the cake, place a plate on top of the pan and flip it upside-down. Release the cake from the pan while still warm or else it will stick. Allow to cool for another 15-20 minutes. Right before serving, dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Cake is delicious! Took much much longer to bake than indicated, so I had to put some foil over the top to keep it from burning during the extra cook time.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Question: Did you extend the parchment along the sides of the pan or is it on the top only. I was unclear from the recipe.
Looks yummy! Because one of our girls is married and out of the house and the other is often not home, I cherish the times we are together and sometimes just want them for myself. :)