Upside-Down Rhubarb & Frangipane Cake
We used forced rhubarb for this recipe. That’s rhubarb grown in the dark which produces more tender stalks with a naturally sweeter flavour and a beautifully vibrant pink hue. It’s perfect for baking, as it softens easily and gives this cake its stunning colour. If your rhubarb is a little on the greener side, you can also add a handful of raspberries to the fruit layer to boost the colour and bring an extra pop of brightness and tang.
Takes 1 hour
Serves 8
Ingredients
The Rhubarb Base
- 400 g rhubarb trimmed and cut into 5cm lengths (about 4 cups)
- 50 g plant-based butter ¼ cup
- 100 g caster sugar ½ cup
- 25 g flaked almonds ¼ cup
The Frangipane Sponge
- 200 g ground almonds 2 cups
- 175 g caster sugar ¾ cup + 2 tbsp
- 125 g self-raising flour sieved (1 cup)
- 150 g plant-based butter melted (⅔ cup)
- 120 ml water ½ cup
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Prepare the tin and rhubarb
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a 20cm round cake tin (or use an ovenproof skillet). Melt the butter with the sugar in a pan and simmer for about 2 minutes, until slightly thickened and lightly pink. Pour this syrup into the base of the tin. Scatter over the flaked almonds, then arrange the rhubarb pieces neatly on top, fitting them snugly together.
Combine the dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, sieved flour, caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisking helps break up any clumps and keeps the sponge light rather than dense.
Mix the wet ingredients
- In a separate jug, combine the melted butter, water and almond extract. Stir well until fully mixed.
Form the batter
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold together using a spatula until smooth, thick and glossy. The batter should be scoopable, with no streaks of flour remaining.
Bake and turn out
- Gently spoon the batter over the rhubarb, smoothing the top without disturbing the fruit. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to rest in the tin for 5–10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and carefully turn it out onto a serving plate.