One of my favorite spring flavor combinations is strawberry and rhubarb and every year, I love experimenting with recipes that include them. My Strawberry Cake is sweet and aromatic while the Rhubarb Topping is a bit tart, really buttery, and delicious. Desserts really don't get any homier than this.
Rhubarb Topping:
3/4 cups butter (1 1/2 cubes)
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (not packed)
3 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2" - 3/4" chunks
Add butter and brown sugar to a saucepan and cook over medium high heat until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Pour into a 13"x9" baking pan. Top with the rhubarb chunks and set aside while you prepare the Strawberry Cake batter.
Strawberry Cake:
2 heaping cups fresh strawberries, blended to produce 1 1/2 cups
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and hull strawberries and quarter. Blend strawberries and measure out 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Set aside.
Add flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and stir together. Add butter, milk, and the strawberry mixture and beat at medium speed, scraping bowl as needed, for one minute. Add eggs and beat on high for two minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Pour batter atop the Rhubarb Topping in the baking pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the cake is set in the center, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for five minutes. After five minutes, loosen cake from edges of the pan with a spatula and invert onto a cooling rack or platter.
Serve cake at room temperature as the cake and rhubarb are most flavorful after they've cooled.
Rhubarb and strawberry are one of the tastiest fruit marriages ever, and your upside-down cake does them proud. Definitely a must-try recipe for me!
So glad that Ali's post over at Jam Hands brought me back around your way!
Jenn/Rook No. 17
Posted by: Jenn/Rook No. 17 | June 02, 2011 at 03:14 PM
Hello,
I just came across your blog..( I am a fairly new blogger..) I have just added you to my Google Reader and I am looking forward to following along with you...I must say, what I have seen so far looks mighty Tasty :}
Have a wonderful Weekend
Blessings
Angelina
Posted by: RubyJean | May 26, 2011 at 07:25 PM
I made this last Sunday for a family picnic. Everyone loved it! Rhubarb has almost idol status in family. Best Rhubarb recipe I've found. Thanks!
Posted by: Jemm | May 26, 2011 at 10:57 AM
I made your cake this weekend and it was AMAZING!!! It was so easy to make and tasted absolutely delicious! I served it at room temperature with vanilla ice cream and everyone LOVED it. Thank you so much for sharing!
Posted by: Renata | May 25, 2011 at 06:09 PM
Amazing cake! I looked and looked for a Strawberry Rhubarb cake recipe and most of them used strawberry gelatin in them. Then the other recipe I tried the cake came out to dry. My husband and son LOVE this cake.
Posted by: Mercedes | May 22, 2011 at 02:39 PM
I'm getting ready for our Market tomorrow, and will get up early to pick rhubarb. A recipe always helps sell a product, and I'd like to include yours! Love it.
Posted by: Linda Bowen | May 20, 2011 at 09:17 PM
Thank you! I featured this yummy recipe on the Weekly Blend over the weekend. You inspire!
http://scrappyjavagirl.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Beth | May 18, 2011 at 07:03 AM
I made this last night, and my kids and I had it for breakfast. (It has fruit, after all. ;) So delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Melissa Kaiserman | May 17, 2011 at 09:46 PM
My family loved, loved, loved this cake that I made them on Sunday! thanks for such a great recipe!
Posted by: Kelly Wenhold | May 17, 2011 at 11:27 AM
This recipe looks very good. I like the picture of the strawberry tops ... makes me think of our rabbit who loves to snack on them. It was nice seeing you at your tag sale. Hope you are enjoying your week :)
Posted by: Monica | May 17, 2011 at 07:26 AM
OH MY GOSH! THIS was not the blog to read as I sit here before eating any breakfast and am hungry. This looks amazing! Great recipe and thank you.
Posted by: VickiT | May 17, 2011 at 04:54 AM
Bought rhubarb at the Pasco farmers market and made the cake yesterday. It is delicious, though difficult to not just eat the butter and brown sugar mixture!!
Posted by: Wendy in Kennewick | May 16, 2011 at 12:28 PM
OH my, this looks so good I can almost taste it off the computer screen! Thanks for the recipe!
Sonya
Posted by: Sonya-Dime Store Thrift | May 16, 2011 at 07:36 AM
Thank you, Serena! I made this last night and brought it over to our daughter's house after church today. It was a special day, our 3rd grandbaby was dedicated to God! AND this cake was a wonderful dessert to our lunch. Loved the texture, very moist. Also, the cake made plenty, enough for everyone. I've never made a cake with chopped up (I did it in my blender) strawberries, it turned out great! Oh, and the rhubarb was straight from our garden, it was ripe just in time!
Hugs, Heidi
Posted by: Heidi Woodruff | May 15, 2011 at 08:25 PM
I should have read your blog earlier instead of napping! This will be on my to do list for sure tomorrow...thanks for sharing.
Posted by: rebecca | May 15, 2011 at 05:45 PM
Oh my....that looks delicious!!!!!
Posted by: Simple Daisy | May 15, 2011 at 05:15 PM
Went to the Farmers market in Bonners Ferry and got me some rhubarb just for this receipe. Yummo
Posted by: Karen English | May 15, 2011 at 08:35 AM
Your cake looks wonderful. I have a color printer and now have this beautiful 8 page recipe. I will definiately make this cake this week! Thank you so much.
Posted by: Terri | May 15, 2011 at 05:34 AM
Oh my, this looks absolutely delicious Serena! I love the tartness of the rhubarb combined with strawberry sweetness.
Thanks for the visual step by step and recipe!
Posted by: Marian (Sweetopia) | May 14, 2011 at 04:20 AM
looks delicious
Posted by: polka | May 13, 2011 at 08:37 PM
My Mom has always used a lot of rhubarb, but never a cake like this. Looks delicious!! You are awesome......
Posted by: Ruth Ann Smith | May 13, 2011 at 05:07 PM
I never developed a taste for Rhubarb, but our best friend loves it so much that I may make this for him. He is in chemo and I know he would love it.
Posted by: Weekend Cowgirl | May 13, 2011 at 03:08 PM
This looks so fabulous! And I do not even like rhubarb. I might have to give it another chance. Beautiful photos!
Posted by: Elizabeth | May 13, 2011 at 12:30 PM
Such a GREAT combination: strawberries and rhubarb! This looks wonderful...I have lots of rhubarb this year :) Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Posted by: Connie | May 13, 2011 at 11:53 AM
I'm going to get some rubarb TODAY! :-)
Posted by: Daja | May 13, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Ohhhhhh , the pics are beautiful and the recipe sounds so easy and delish ! Thinking I'm going to have to bake this tonight for the fam! Thanks for sharing ! :)
Posted by: ilene | May 13, 2011 at 11:34 AM