Let Them Eat Cake! Rhubarb Streusel Upside-Down Cake!

"Let them eat cake!"

Apparently Marie Antoinette never said that, so I will.

My Fine Cooking magazine for February/March arrived in the mail yesterday and this issue is plugged full of seasonally appropriate stick-to-your-ribs kind of food.  When the mercury is dipping into uncomfortable temperatures here in the Nations Capital, I help our furnace out a bit by turning on the oven.

The Cranberry Streusel Upside-Down Cake by Katherine Eastman Seeley on page 84 caught my eye. Despite having packed up every last ribbon and bobble from the holidays already, I find I am still attracted to Christmas red. Well, truth be told, I actually had some buttermilk to move along.

Not a single cranberry could be found in the house.  Though, my supply of frozen rhubarb is still holding strong and it seemed like a decent substitute since 'tart' would play a lead role against all that sweet richness.

I followed the recipe except for the change in fruit. I would consider adding more pecans to the streusel next time as I just love that nut.

If it is too cold to venture out today to pick it up issue 127, this recipe is found on their website.

This cake goes quite well with a strong cup of morning coffee for those that think a wedge of it could substitute for muffin.

WARNING: Fine Cooking says a slice of this cake is 400 calories and 19 grams of fat, so enjoy sparingly!

RHUBARB STREUSEL UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
Serves 10 to 12

For the streusel 
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans 
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
1-1/8 oz. (1/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour 
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 
1/4 tsp. kosher salt 
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted 

For the topping 
1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter; more for the pan 
3/4 cup granulated sugar 
3 cups fresh or thawed frozen rhubarb* 

For the cake 
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour 
2 tsp. baking powder 
1 tsp. kosher salt 
4-1/2 oz. (9 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened 
3/4 cup granulated sugar 
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 
3 large eggs, at room temperature 
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

* The original recipe called for cranberry.  I substituted in 600 grams of frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained.

Read Fine Cooking online for the method.