rhubarb & apple upside-down cake
serves 6-8
250 g (9 oz/1 cup) sugar
250 g (9 oz) rhubarb, chopped into 2 cm (¾ inch) pieces
1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 eggs
40 g (1¼ oz/1/3 cup) icing (confectioners’) sugar
½ teaspoon natural vanilla extract
100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
125 g (4½ oz/1 cup) self-raising flour
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Lightly grease a deep 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
Put the sugar in a saucepan with 80 ml (2½ fl oz/1/3 cup) water and heat gently, shaking occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and cook until it turns a pale caramel colour—it will turn a deeper colour in the oven. Pour into the tin and then press the rhubarb and apple into the caramel.
Beat the eggs, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl with electric beaters until the mixture is frothy. Fold in the melted butter. Sift the flour over the top and stir (the mixture will be soft). Spoon gently over the fruit, being careful not to dislodge it.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until set on top. Run a knife around the side of the cake and turn out very carefully onto a wire rack to cool. Be sure to do this straight away, otherwise the caramel will cool and stick to the tin. Serve warm with cream as a dessert, or cool as a teacake.
Variation: Fresh plums can be substituted for the apple and rhubarb in this recipe. The plums should be halved and cored, then sliced and pressed into the caramel in a decorative spiral pattern, or randomly. Bake the cake as for the original recipe and serve either warm or cold.
