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A springtime upside-down cake featuring tart rhubarb sliced and arranged in a rose pattern under an orange-scented sour-cream cake, topped with a crunchy pistachio crumb.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 pound rhubarb, sliced diagonally about 1/4 inch thick
  • 12 tablespoons softened butter, divided
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • Zest of one orange
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9″ x 3″ cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spread 4 tablespoons melted butter evenly over the parchment.
  2. Combine melted butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, chopped pistachios, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir in 1/2 cup flour until the mixture is dry and crumbly. Set aside the pistachio crumb mixture.
  3. Toss rhubarb slices with 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl and let sit to release juices and soften.
  4. In a mixing bowl, rub the orange zest into 1 cup granulated sugar with your fingers until fragrant.
  5. Add 8 tablespoons softened butter to the sugar and orange zest mixture. Beat on medium speed for 8–10 minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed.
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
  7. Beat in eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, scraping the bowl between additions. Stir in vanilla extract.
  8. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix briefly. Scrape the bowl. Add half of the sour cream and scrape again. Add remaining dry ingredients and sour cream; mix until just combined without overmixing.
  9. Arrange the macerated rhubarb in concentric, overlapping circles in the prepared pan to form a rose pattern covering the bottom.
  10. Carefully spread the batter evenly over the arranged rhubarb, being gentle to preserve the rose pattern.
  11. Sprinkle the pistachio crumb evenly over the batter.
  12. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  13. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 3–5 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  14. If any rhubarb sticks to the pan after flipping, loosen gently with a thin spatula and press the pieces back onto the cake.

Notes

Use a sharp knife to slice rhubarb diagonally about 1/4 inch thick to allow bending for the rose shape., Use room temperature butter and eggs for better mixing and a lighter cake., Rub orange zest into sugar to release essential oils and enhance aroma., Line pan with parchment and grease sides to make flipping easier and prevent sticking., Stick to a 9″ x 3″ pan for best results; smaller or larger pans will affect baking time and cake thickness., Check doneness by toothpick: it should have a few moist crumbs but no wet batter., The cake is lovely served slightly warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream., You can prepare the pistachio crumb and macerate rhubarb ahead of baking day., For a nut-free option, omit pistachios and substitute with toasted oats or seeds for crunch.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sweetovenstories.com/rhubarb-rose-upside-down-cake-with-pistachio-crumb-whisk-kid-2/