Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

Before I start, the picture I shared is of an old cookbook at Joe’s cabin. I had not really opened it before but was drawn to it like a moth to light. So much fun to read something written over a 100 years ago. The recipes mention a moderate or a hot oven; of course no temperature and no time. What I was impressed with, besides the many household and medical suggestions, was recipes giving ideas on what to do with leftovers. Things change, yet they stay the same.

Do you have an old cookbook you still use? Would you like to me to share some of the information out of that old cookbook?

This recipe is from an older book, the 1980s. I know not everyone likes rhubarb but I was gifted some rhubarb so feel the need to use it and while I was thinking of old cookbooks, I took one off my shelf and looked up a recipe. This one seems a bit different and I plan on using some of the strawberry-rhubarb natural jam on top of the rhubarb mixture. I plan on making it tonight so will let you know. Haha. Guess it would be a wasted post if at the end I said not to make it.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

2 c. sliced rhubarb (I used 3 cups)

¾ c. sugar

¼ c. butter

1 egg, well beaten

1 ½ c. sifted flour

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ c. milk

1 tsp vanilla.

DIRECTIONS:

Combine ¼ c. butter and brown sugar. Cook slowly in a heavy iron 9 inch skillet until thick and smooth. Remove from heat: add diced rhubarb. Set aside.

Cream together sugar and butter, add egg and beat well. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Add vanilla pour over rhubarb and bake in a slow oven, 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Invert over a large plate, cool. Cut wedges. Serve with whipped cream for topping.

MY NOTES:

I typed the directions as given. The older books don’t have step one and step two, which I like. At first I didn’t see the size pan, but I see they suggest a 9 inch iron skillet. I think I will substitute a 9 inch square pan, thinking it may be easier to invert than a skillet with a handle.

**So this is the update. I see now why they said to do the brown sugar and butter in the skillet. It becomes the bottom layer, then you put the rhubarb on top. I mixed it in a sauce pan and while cooling, cut the rhubarb. BAD IDEA. The brown sugar mixture hardened and when I tried to mix it with the rhubarb, it was in chunks. I patted the mixture into a 9 inch square pan, another bad idea if you are going to invert it onto a round plate. Then I spread the leftover strawberry jam I made last week on top of the layer, then added the cake mixture. All in all, it turned out delicious and, for us, qualified as a breakfast dish. It says 50 minutes, but mine was done by about 35 minutes because my oven runs hot, so check.