The smell coming from the oven — melted sugar, rhubarb gently stewing in butter — is enough to convince anyone that something interesting is happening in the kitchen. This rhubarb upside-down cake is one of those recipes that impresses without requiring much effort. One hour, one pan, one flip at the right moment.
When you unmold this cake, the first surprise is the color — a deep pink leaning toward coral, as if the rhubarb decided to be beautiful. The surface is glossy, slightly sticky to the touch, and the slices arranged during preparation form a neat pattern. Beneath, the sponge is tender and soft, with that subtle nutmeg flavor that lingers after the first bite. The acidity of the rhubarb is still there, but tamed by the buttery caramel that formed during baking.
