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A springtime upside-down cake featuring thinly sliced rhubarb arranged in a rose pattern beneath an orange-zested moist cake, topped with a crunchy pistachio crumb for a sweet-tart and nutty flavor balance.

Ingredients

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  • 4 Tbsp butter, melted (for crumb)
  • 1/4 cup sugar (for crumb)
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
  • 1/4 tsp salt (for crumb)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for crumb)
  • 3/4 cup sugar (for macerating rhubarb)
  • 1 pound rhubarb, sliced about 1/4 inch thick on a sharp diagonal
  • 12 Tbsp softened butter, divided
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • Zest of one orange
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C); lightly grease a 9″ x 3″ cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
  2. Prepare the pistachio crumb by mixing 4 Tbsp melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, and 1/4 tsp salt; stir in 1/2 cup flour until dry and crumbly and set aside.
  3. Slice 1 pound rhubarb about 1/4 inch thick on a sharp diagonal.
  4. Combine the sliced rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar, toss to coat, and let macerate.
  5. If rhubarb releases a lot of juice during maceration, drain off excess liquid (reserve if desired).
  6. Spread 4 Tbsp softened butter evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan on the parchment.
  7. Bring butter and eggs to room temperature before creaming.
  8. In a stand mixer bowl, rub orange zest into 1 cup sugar, add remaining 8 Tbsp softened butter, and beat on medium about 10 minutes until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally.
  9. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 1/2 tsp salt in a separate bowl.
  10. Add 2 large eggs to creamed butter and sugar one at a time, beating well after each; mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
  11. On low speed, alternate adding half the dry ingredients and half of 1 cup sour cream, mixing just until combined; repeat with remaining dry ingredients and sour cream, avoiding overmixing.
  12. Arrange macerated rhubarb slices in concentric overlapping circles in the buttered pan, starting at the outer edge to form a rose pattern.
  13. Spoon batter over arranged rhubarb and smooth gently without disturbing the slices; sprinkle pistachio crumb evenly over batter.
  14. Bake about 45 minutes, checking at 40 minutes with a toothpick; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
  15. Let cake rest in pan for 3–5 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely; if any rhubarb sticks to the pan, gently remove and press pieces back onto cake while still warm.

Notes

Use a very sharp knife to slice rhubarb thin and diagonally for best rose petal effect., Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature to achieve fluffier, lighter cake texture., Drain excess juice from rhubarb after maceration to avoid sogginess, but save juice for glaze or drinks., Grease and line pan well with parchment to ease cake flipping and prevent sticking., Avoid overmixing batter after adding flour to keep cake light and soft., Check doneness with toothpick: a few moist crumbs are perfect, but no wet batter., Pistachio crumb can be substituted with chopped almonds or hazelnuts., Orange zest can be replaced with lemon zest for sharper citrus flavor., Plain yogurt can replace sour cream in equal amounts., Add sliced strawberries with rhubarb for a classic flavor mix, draining extra juice to prevent sogginess., Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make the cake gluten-free.

Nutrition

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