Simple Rhubarb Tatin Cake

Instructions

For the rhubarb:

Cut off the ends of your rhubarb. Cut the rhubarb into 2 ½ inch-long batons.

Put the vanilla pod, sugar, lemon juice and 300ml water (just to cover the rhubarb) in a shallow pot and set over low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the rhubarb batons and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in the syrup for 1 hour, at least, or up to a night. Note: This step is very important- if your rhubarb doesn’t sit long enough in the syrup, it will be too sour. The rhubarb batons should be perfectly sweet and tender, but will still hold their shape.

For the Cake: 

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F . Grease an 8-inch square cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. 

Arrange the rhubarb batons horizontally and vertically in the bottom of the pan, to create a grid of 9 alternating squares of 6 or 7 strips each. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until white and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, the sour cream, vanilla seeds and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternately with milk ( making 2 additions of flour mixture and 1 of milk). 

Scrape the batter over the rhubarb batons, smoothing the batter to the edges of the pan, if needed.

Bake in the oven until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Invert onto serving plate, and peel off the parchment paper very carefully. Let cool completely.