Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
This delightful upside-down cake features a tangy-sweet layer of strawberries and rhubarb caramelized in brown sugar and butter, topped with a tender, buttery vanilla cake. It’s the perfect spring dessert, best served with whipped cream or ice cream for a beautiful, crowd-pleasing finish.
Equipment
- 8- or 9-inch round cake pan: Ideal for even baking.
- Mixing bowls: For separate wet and dry mixtures.
- Electric mixer or whisk: Helps cream butter smoothly.
- Rubber spatula: For folding batter gently.
- Cooling rack: Prevents soggy base after baking.
Ingredients
Topping:
- ⅓ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 cup sliced rhubarb
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
Cake:
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- ¼ tsps salt
- 1 tsps baking powder
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease a round cake pan.
- Mix melted butter and brown sugar, then spread evenly in the pan.
- Arrange sliced rhubarb and strawberries over the sugar mixture.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, cream room-temperature butter and granulated sugar until light.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, mixing gently.
- Spread batter carefully over the fruit layer.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smoother batter and better rise.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the cake light and tender.
- If rhubarb is very tart, you can toss it with a little sugar before layering.
- Inverting while warm helps the fruit release cleanly and prevents sticking.