White Chocolate Rhubarb Downside-Up Cake and a Lesson on Value

White Chocolate Rhubarb Downside-Up Cake with Ice Cream

Rhubarb, The OG

This time of year, it’s an understatement to say I have an overabundance of rhubarb. I mean, it’s taking over the county. So naturally, I chose this cake from the index of Vintage Cakes, under rhubarb.

The other reason for making this cake was to share it with my mom. She loves sweets, and she loves rhubarb. It’s no surprise this book offers rhubarb recipes because rhubarb is like a throwback to the olden days.

The White Chocolate Rhubarb Downside-Up Cake is a true classic—more of a comfort dessert than a traditional cake.

Refined or Not

Like my last two cakes, this one started with a sauce. Since it’s a “downside-up” cake, the sauce that went into the baking pan first was labeled as the topping. A simple, deep amber caramel sauce, made primarily with butter and sugar, formed the first layer of this dessert.

The rhubarb layer is just that—rhubarb. Author of Vintage Cakes, Julie Richardson, states, “For a more refined cake, arrange the fruit in a pattern”. What’s on the bottom will be the top in the end. I’m not refined, so my rhubarb layer wasn’t either.

The cake was a buttermilk batter with white chocolate plus a kick of ginger—beaten, not stirred.

Subtle, But Essential

I’ve never used white chocolate in a cake recipe before. When the recipe said to pour boiling water over the white chocolate, I was confused. Water in regular chocolate causes it to seize up; you have to use milk. Curiosity ensued, and a quick search enlightened me with the science behind it. In short, because of the different makeup of the chocolates (white doesn’t contain cocoa solids), the added liquid disrupts the fat-sugar-protein balance. I love science.

Not surprisingly, I’m calling white chocolate the star of this show. It has a very subtle flavor, and I probably wouldn’t have guessed it was in the cake had I not been the baker. But subtle doesn’t mean unimportant. Think about the background instruments in a band—subtle, but necessary. The cake’s taste and texture (not to be discounted) wouldn’t have shone without the humble, creamy white chocolate.

An All Around Winner

For optimal results, the author suggests serving this dessert slightly warm with ice cream (yum). I made it the night before to get an early start to my mom’s house the next morning. It came out of the oven just in time for me to get some ZZZs. It traveled well and made a nice treat to come home to after my mom’s doctor appointment.

Truth told, this gal was not pretty when she was revealed. I’m certain that was in large part due to leaving her rest in the pan for half a day. Nevertheless, we served it up at room temperature with ice cream—one scoop each of butter pecan and strawberry cheesecake.

It was delicious. The fruit layer (technically vegetable) was a tangy rhubarb compote with emerging rich caramel notes. The cake was dense, smooth, and moist, and the mellow white chocolate balanced the tart rhubarb. I convinced myself that since it has plant matter, I could consider it breakfast the next morning. It was just as delightful.

I found another good, all-purpose dessert for the future—simple or “refined”, easy for travel, modest, and reliable. White chocolate makes it feel luxurious.

A Reminder of Our Value: The Transcend Moment

The value I found in this experience was subtle, but not insignificant—like the white chocolate. We walk (or run) through life chasing big accomplishments. We use these things as a measure of our worth. But what about the little things—the micromoments that add up? They matter, too.

Small contributions can add great value. The white chocolate subtly added something to this cake, and it paid off richly.

Where in your life do you add value? I bet it’s a million little ways, daily, that you discount. Have you ever considered noting those as accomplishments? Every day, I write down at least one thing I did that added value—to others, to myself, or just in general.

Intentionally noticing our tiny wins helps us to continue to put good into the world and to remind ourselves that we are valuable—every day.