Rhubarb upside-down cake

Rhubarb is a late spring, early summer vegetable that often masquerades as a fruit in tasty sweet-sour desserts. Most years, rhubarb disappears from the marketplace in early July, so if you want to make this delicious cake, move quickly to buy the fresh rhubarb. My supermarket has a large produce section and stocks it in a pretty, red pile close to the lettuce. I also find it in farmers markets.

This luscious cake has three layers, and once baked and partially cooled it is inverted to show off the layer of rhubarb. Below the rhubarb, there’s a layer of butter cake and a layer of crunchy streusel, made with sliced almonds, butter, flour and sugar, plus a pinch of salt.

The recipe calls for unsalted butter. If you substitute salted butter, omit the salt.

Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Soft butter and parchment paper to prep baking pan

Streusel:

1⁄2 cup (2 1⁄2 ounces) all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup sliced almonds

1⁄4 cup (1 3⁄4 ounces) granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Rhubarb:

3⁄4 cup (5 1⁄4 ounces) granulated sugar

1 1⁄2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 pound fresh rhubarb, trimmed, cut into

1⁄2-inch wide crosswise slices

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cake:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cardamon; see cook’s notes

1 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1⁄2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons red currant jelly or cherry jelly

Cook’s notes: Ground cardamon is delicious in this cake, but I must warn you, it can be pricey. I recently bought it at my local supermarket, and a 1.9-ounce jar was $17. It is less expensive at ethnic shops. For me, it was worth the price because I make a lot of Middle Eastern dishes and chai drinks, as well as curries. For a less expensive substitute, use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger.

PROCEDURE

1: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking pan with butter, line bottom with parchment paper, and grease parchment.

2. Streusel: Stir all ingredients in medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.

3. Rhubarb: Stir 3⁄4 cup sugar, cornstarch and zest in large bowl. Add rhubarb and toss well to coat. Drizzle with melted butter and toss to incorporate. Transfer to prepared pan. Press rhubarb slices into bottom of pan, making sure there are no large gaps – this may involve some rearranging and there may be pieces that will not fit in a single layer.

4. Cake: Melt 6 tablespoons butter and set aside to cool. Whisk flour, cardamom, baking powder and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk sugar and eggs in large bowl of electric mixer and beat on medium speed until blended, about 45 seconds. Add cooled melted butter and beat on medium speed until blended. Add sour cream, zest, juice and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Pour into pan evenly over the rhubarb. Break up streusel with your hands and sprinkle in even layer over batter. Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes.

5: Transfer pan to wire rack and let cook for 20 minutes. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake, then invert onto serving platter. Gently remove parchment paper. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Microwave jelly in small bowl until fluid, about 20 seconds. Using a pastry brush, gently dab jelly on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.