Driving around in my new tropical habitat yesterday, I came across a
little produce shop that carried farm-fresh veggies and fruit. I asked the
proprietor if he had any rhubarb and he said, “We carried it for a while, but
it just rotted because no one was buying it.” Imagine that! Local taste be
damned. Undaunted, I
continued the hunt and found some at a nearby “gourmet”
supermarket. My first thought was to make a lovely rustic pie, but I wanted
something that would be done sooner, as I needed to clean out my kitchen in
preparation for some renovation that was about to happen (nothing major – just
replacing an appalling
backsplash). An upside-down cake was just the ticket. I
based it on a recipe that appeared in my cake book, the Peach Tatin Cake, which
also works well with rhubarb. Because rhubarb is a bit tart, the sweet caramel
balances it beautifully. Serve it warm with rhubarb sauce, if you like (email
me if you want the recipe),
and certainly some vanilla ice cream or whipped
cream. Even the locals are bound to love this one.
Makes 10 servings
Caramel Rhubarb Topping:
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
½ teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
1 ½ pounds (680 g) fresh rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch slices
Sour Cream Cake:
1 1/2 cups (6.4 oz/181 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8.5 oz/242 g) sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
9 tablespoons (4.5 oz/127 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7 oz/200 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
Prepare the topping:
1. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch-diameter-by-3-inch-high round
cake pan (don’t use a springform pan; the caramel might leak out during
baking). Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, cut to
fit, and grease the paper.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water and lemon juice. Cook
over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring; increase
the heat to high, and cook, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan
with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization, until the mixture turns
into a golden caramel. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in
the butter, one piece at a time (be careful: the mixture will bubble up
furiously). Carefully pour the hot caramel into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Arrange a circle of rhubarb slices, overlapping them slightly, around
the outer edge of the pan, on top of the caramel. Arrange the remaining slices
in the center, covering the caramel completely and overlapping the slices
slightly.
Make the cake batter:
4. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking
soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and vanilla extract and
set aside.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat
the butter at medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the
sugar and beat at high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is lightened
in texture and color. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a
time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl
as needed. At low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating
it with the sour cream mixture in two additions. Scrape down the sides of the
bowl and mix just until blended. Spoon the batter in large dollops over the
peaches. Smooth the batter into an even layer. Bake for about an hour, until
the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out
clean. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
7. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan. Using pot holders, very
carefully invert the cake onto a cake plate or platter. Peel off the parchment
paper, if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream
or whipped cream.
