We planted a rhubarb crown in a dolly tub in our garden about 3 years ago. Gardening/allotment experts say you should allow a young plant at least a year without harvesting to encourage vigour. We’ve finally felt able to pick a few stalks this year.
I’d normally use it to make a crumble however, I’ve never made a rhubarb upside-down cake before and thought it would go down a treat.
I tweaked a recipe I found on the Guardian website. The results were so delicious, I’m already planning on reusing the recipe to make a pear upside-down cake next week.
I love the pretty patterns that you can make with fruit on the ‘top’ of upside-down cakes.
The cake batter is one of the easiest I’ve ever thrown together. It calls for vegetable oil instead of butter, a couple of eggs, caster sugar, flour and baking powder – just mix the wet into the dry ingredients. It takes all of about 3 minutes!
The soft brown sugar and butter in the base of the skillet came together to form the most wonderful, chewy caramelised edges.
It was lovely with a little pouring cream but it would be equally good – hot or room temperature – with vanilla ice cream or on its own.
Save the recipe to Pinterest here!


- 80g/3oz diced unsalted butter and a bit more for greasing
- 140g/5oz soft brown sugar
- 4-5 stalks rhubarb
- 150g/5¼oz caster sugar
- 175g/6oz plain flour
- 1 heaped tsp baking powder
- 150ml/5 fl oz sunflower oil
- 2 large eggs
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4
- Grease a 30cm/12-inch cast iron skillet with a little butter
- Scatter the brown sugar and butter over the bottom of the skillet and put it in the oven for 5 minutes
- Remove the skillet from the oven and press the raw rhubarb into the melted butter and sugar
- Mix the sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl
- In a measuring jug, beat the vegetable oil and eggs together
- Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix well
- Pour the batter over the rhubarb in the skillet and return the pan to the oven for about 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes away clean
- Allow the cake to cool in the skillet on the top of the stove before running a sharp knife around the rim and carefully turning the pan upside down on to a plate