Thursday, April 29, 2010

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
Martha Stewart

Prep: 25 minutes Total: 2 hours 15 minutes

This cake has a crumb "topping" that actually ends up on the bottom. Each bite has a surprisingly crunchy texture.

Ingredients

Makes one 9-inch cake; Serves 10.

* FOR THE TOPPING
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup sugar
* Coarse salt
* FOR THE CAKE
* 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for buttering pan
* 1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut on a very sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick
* 1 3/4 cups sugar
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* Coarse salt
* 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup sour cream


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until moist and crumbly.
2. Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Dot with 4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces). Toss rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar; let stand for 2 minutes. Toss again, and spread in pan.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Beat remaining stick butter and cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in zest and juice. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, until smooth. Spread evenly over rhubarb. Crumble topping evenly over batter.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top springs back when touched, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.