Vegan Rhubarb Ginger Upside Down Cake

This vegan rhubarb ginger upside down cake is my mea culpa to the many readers who tried out this recipe, which I first posted two years ago on this blog, and wrote in to say they loved the taste of the cake – but, something was off with the liquid measurements because, in some cases, the cake sank a bit in the middle, or simply took too long to bake. I had been wanting to try out this rhubarb cake recipe again, but rhubarb is not an ingredient I can easily find even during the few weeks it’s in season, so when I did see some ruby-red rhubarb stalks on my weekly grocery trip this past weekend, I grabbed them up to make this cake. Again. I baked up the cake exactly according to the instructions I had posted, but I made two changes – I reduced the liquid by half a cup, and I increased the oven temperature from 325 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I got a perfect cake, which leads me to believe that I may have messed up the amount of water in the post the first time round. But – I am here to make things up to you with this now-perfect vegan Rhubarb Ginger Upside Down Cake. I have even added new pictures of the cake I made this week, so you can see for yourself how gorgeous it is. I do love baking with rhubarb because this lip-puckeringly sour stalk magically transforms during baking into soft, subtly tart sweetness. In this rhubarb cake, it is marvelous and even a revelation. As they bake up, the juices of the ruby-red rhubarb and the sugar caramelize into a thick, gooey syrup that glazes the top of this moist, voluptuous cake and flows down its sides. You really don’t have to worry about decorating this cake because it’s so pretty to look at right out of the pan– as indeed any upside down cake is. But the gorgeous color of the rhubarb, I think, makes this cake even more special (keep in mind that the color will depend on the color of the rhubarb you put in – some rhubarb stalks are more deeply colored than others). It is rather important that you bake this cake in a springform pan, because that just makes it so much easier to unmold without messing up the glossy, exquisite top. If some pieces of rhubarb come off, just put them back on – no one will be able to tell the difference. Check to get new recipe updates by email.

Once again, my apologies to readers who attempted this rhubarb ginger upside down cake and left me notes with their constructive criticism/feedback. This cake is for you! I hope you will make it again, and enjoy it.