My Pop was an avid gardener and always grew rhubarb. I always remember him letting us help him cut the rhubarb and then we would take it inside where my Nana would stew the rhubarb with apples and then we would eat it with delicious vanilla ice-cream.
This cake is dedicated to my grandparents and all the wonderful memories I am lucky to have with them. And I’m so blessed that they are still here to make memories with!
RHUBARB UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
125g butter, chopped, at room temperature
¾ cup brown sugar, plus ½ cup extra
2 cups chopped rhubarb
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups gluten-free self-raising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup buttermilk
Whipped cream, to serve
Preheat oven to moderate, 180ºC. Lightly grease a 20cm round cake pan. Line base with baking paper.
Combine 60g butter and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Pour into base of cake pan, tilting the pan to make sure base is covered. Arrange rhubarb over caramel, pressing slightly.
In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat remaining butter and extra sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in combined sifted flour, vanilla and lemon zest. Stir in buttermilk.
Spoon mixture over rhubarb, smoothing top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until cake is cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a baking paper-lined wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature in wedges with whipped cream.
