Rhubarb and star anise upside down cake – recipe

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/11/rhubarb-upside-down-cake-recipe

Version 0 of 1.

The apparent silliness of an upside-down cake makes my children laugh. Headstands, about face drawings, and the thought of making a cake upside down all have their appeal. I think that being upside down suits cakes very well indeed – the buttery brown sugar-cooked fruit settles and seeps through the cake once it's inverted after baking. Upside down cakes also look beautiful and keep for several days.

(serves 6-8)80g diced unsalted butter and a bit more for greasing.140g soft brown sugar3 whole star anise 250g (2-3 stalks) rhubarb, cut into 5cm pieces 150g caster sugar175g plain flour1 heaped tsp baking powder2 tsp ground ginger150ml sunflower oil2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Grease a 24cm spring form cake tin with a little butter and line with a round piece of greaseproof paper, pressing it right in the corners.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Scatter the brown sugar and butter over the bottom of the lined tin and put in the oven for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and press the raw rhubarb and star anise into the melted butter and sugar in the tin.

Mix the sugar, flour, baking powder and ground ginger in a large bowl then beat in the oil and eggs. Pour the batter over the rhubarb in the tin and return the cake tin to the oven for about 55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool a bit before folding back the edges of the greaseproof paper and turning the cake upside down on to a plate.

• Follow Claire Thomson on Twitter or get more recipes at 5oclockapron.com