04/05/2025
Upside down rhubarb, chocolate and orange cake.
I spent all morning walking in the woods, playing with my son play among the trees, watching him trying to pick (successfully!) a solitary bee, and picking nettle and hawthorn.
When I got back, I was craving for chocolate cake. After taking my son for his nap, I went to the kitchen, took out some trusted ingredients out of the cupboard and placed them on the counter. I also had fresh rhubarb and I fancied using it, one of my favourite ways being in an upside down cake. Usually, I pair rhubarb with orange and rosemary but my love for pure and dark cacao is strong these days (oh hello magnesium! đ«), so I decided to combine these three ingredients together. I could see how the tartness of the rhubarb would go well with the richness of the chocolate. I changed one of the recipes I know by heart to include raw cacao powder while making sure my dry-wet ratio was the same (so there was some note taking involved), olive oil in place of coconut oil and a generous amount of orange zest. In the oven it went, and after just 30 minutes patiently waiting in front of the oven, it was ready. Almost. Gluten-free cakes always need to rest a little in the tin to avoid falling apart. So I waited some more, then turned the tin upside down onto a plate, the contrast of the pink and green hues of rhubarb against the dark brown sponge taking my breath away. I couldnât wait for it to cool down completely to slice it, it was so delicious. The sponge is soft, rich in chocolate, just sweet enough and zesty from the orange with its centre slightly runny, which I adore. The rhubarb is soft and sticky, caramelised. My idea of a lovely Sunday.
