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Upside-down Cake, Rhubarb

Source of Recipe

Stephanie Pearl Kimmel, Marche restaurant, Eugene OR


List of Ingredients

3/4 C unsalted butter, softened, (divided)
3/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
3 C diced rhubarb, 1/4 inch dice
1 C + 2 T granulated sugar
2 T orange juice if desired
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C milk
1/4 tsp cream of tartar


Recipe

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 9 inch round cake pan with 2-3 inch sides. Or butter a 9 inch springform pan, set on top of a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and wrap it up tightly around sides of pan. Melt 1/4 C butter over low heat. stir in the brown sugar. Pour into cake pan and distribute evenly across the bottom. Place rhubarb in cake pan and sprinkle with 2 T granulated sugar. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream remaining 1/2 C butter and 1 C granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and light. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder. Add a third of the flour mixture to the batter in the mixing bowl on slow speed, scraping down the sides and mixing until dry ingredients are incorporated. Add 1/2 the milk. Continue alternating additions of dry ingredients and milk, ending with the flour.
In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions until well incorporated. Turn batter into pan.
Bake 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges and invert onto a cooling rack. Serve either warm or at room temperature with whipped cream spiked with vanilla or Kirsh, as desired.
Strawberry and rose petal scented ice creams, syrups and sauces are a great flavor match with this cake.