Upside Down Rhubarb Muffins (Printable)
Sweet-tart rhubarb caramelizes beneath tender buttermilk muffins for a stunning upside down treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Rhubarb Topping
01 - 1 ½ cups fresh rhubarb, diced into ¼-inch pieces
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Muffin Batter
04 - 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
05 - ½ cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
08 - ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
09 - ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1 large egg, at room temperature
11 - ¾ cup buttermilk
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin generously with butter or line with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the diced rhubarb, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Toss until the rhubarb is evenly coated. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing lightly to form an even layer.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well distributed.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogeneous.
05 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula just until combined — a few small lumps are fine. Overmixing will produce tough muffins.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, spooning it directly over the rhubarb layer. Fill each cup about three-quarters full.
07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the muffin tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edge of each muffin to loosen, then place a wire rack over the pan and invert. The rhubarb topping should now be on top. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The caramelized rhubarb layer on top looks stunning but takes almost zero extra effort to pull off.
- They taste equally amazing warm from the oven with coffee or served alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
02 -
- Wait longer than five minutes to invert and the caramelized rhubarb will glue itself to the pan, which I learned the hard way on my second batch.
- Do not be tempted to skip the butter in the rhubarb layer, because that is what creates the caramelization that makes these muffins shine.
03 -
- Dice your rhubarb uniformly, about the size of a pea, so every bite has that concentrated caramelized burst of flavor.
- If your rhubarb is particularly tart, toss it with an extra tablespoon of sugar in the topping mixture before baking.