After the success of my Plum Upside Down Cake in honour of my literary heroine, Anne of Green Gables, I knew I had to continue down this topsy turvy path.
So when I spotted some gorgeous rhubarb and strawberries at my local greengrocer I knew just what to cook: Strawberry and Rhubarb Upside Down Cake.
The great thing about upside down cakes is that they need no added decoration or icing – they come out of the oven ready to serve.
This cake is really simple to make, it’s enchantingly pretty and it tastes great, too. This is a perfect cake to keep covered on your kitchen bench for morning and afternoon tea as it’s not too sweet, heavy or rich.
I like serving this with thick cream but it would be equally good with vanilla bean ice cream or even vanilla yoghurt. Enjoy!
Strawberry & Rhubarb Upside Down Cake (Dairy and Refined Sugar Free)
INGREDIENTS
- 50mls agave syrup, plus another 50 mls
- 10 grams butter or margarine (I used Nuttlex)
- 1 punnet strawberries (approx. 250 grams) hulled and halved
- 1 bunch rhubarb stalks, trimmed of leaves (approx. 380 grams) cut into 1cm pieces
- 125 grams butter or margarine, room temperature (I used Nuttlex)
- 1.5 cups plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 3/4 cup sugar (I replaced the sugar with a 1:1 granular Stevia)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract or essence
- 1/2 cup milk (I used rice milk)
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
- Grease a 20cm cake tin with a removable base. I like to use a soya baking spray.
- Heat up 50msl agave syrup and 10 grams butter in a small saucepan.
- Pour syrup and butter mixture into the cake tin and tilt tin so bottom is completely covered.
- Arrange strawberries and rhubarb attractively in cake in. Drizzle over remaining (50mls) agave syrup.
- Put flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a small bowl and combine with a spoon.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, beat 125 grams butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy (about 4 minutes).
- Add vanilla extract or essence and then add eggs, one at a time, being sure to beat the mixture well after each egg.
- Add half flour mixture and half milk and then beat again for another minute.
- Add remaining flour and milk and beat again for another 2-3 minutes until mixture is well combined and airy.
- Pour over fruit mixture in cake tin and even out top with an offset spatula (or tap the tin a few times on the kitchen bench).
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius and then reduce heat to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for another 35 minutes. Check with a skewer to see if the cake is cooked – if it’s not give it a few more minutes and try again.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
- Run a spatula around the edge of the cake tin and then gently turn the cake out onto a cake platter or plate.
Serves 8-10.
More Rhubarb and Strawberry Recipes
Subscribe to The Hungry Australian
Don’t want to miss a post? Sign up to receive new posts 2-3 times a week – it’s FREE!!
