Upside Down Rhubarb Muffins (Print Version)

Sweet-tart rhubarb caramelizes beneath tender muffin batter for a delightful upside-down spring brunch treat.

# What You Need:

→ Rhubarb Topping

01 - 2 cups fresh rhubarb, diced
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Muffin Batter

04 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin generously or line with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss the diced rhubarb with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons melted butter until evenly coated. Spoon approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing lightly to create an even layer.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until uniformly blended.
04 - In a separate bowl, beat together the melted and cooled butter, eggs, whole milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
05 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, spooning it directly over the rhubarb layer in each cup. Fill each cup about three-quarters full.
07 - Bake for 23 to 25 minutes until the muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
08 - Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of each muffin, then carefully invert the tin onto a wire rack to release the muffins with the rhubarb topping facing upward.
09 - Serve warm or at room temperature. Pair with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The rhubarb caramelizes into a sticky, jewel toned topping that looks like you spent hours when you barely tried.
  • They walk the line between breakfast and dessert, which means you can eat them at 8am without anyone judging you.
  • The batter comes together in one bowl with zero fancy equipment, so cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy.
02 -
  • Wait longer than five minutes and the rhubarb layer starts sticking to the tin instead of the muffin, which ruins the reveal completely.
  • Undermixing the batter is always better than overmixing. Tough, tunnel filled muffins come from stirring too aggressively, not from being too gentle.
03 -
  • Grease the top of the muffin tin too, not just the cups, because batter always spills over and burnt batter sticks like cement.
  • If your rhubarb is especially thick, slice it into thinner pieces so it layers flat and releases in one cohesive topping rather than chunky pieces.

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