Upside Down Rhubarb Muffins (Printable Version)
Sweet-tart rhubarb caramelizes on tender upside down muffins, perfect for brunch or dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Rhubarb Layer
01 - 1½ cups fresh rhubarb, diced
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
→ Muffin Batter
04 - 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
05 - ½ cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 tsp baking powder
07 - ½ tsp baking soda
08 - ¼ tsp salt
09 - ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1 large egg
11 - ¾ cup buttermilk
12 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin generously or line with paper liners.
02 - Combine the diced rhubarb, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 2 tbsp melted butter in a medium bowl and 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 mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk the melted and cooled butter, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
05 - Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula just until combined — a few small lumps are fine. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, spooning it directly over the rhubarb layer in each cup. Smooth the tops lightly.
07 - Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden.
08 - Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each muffin, then carefully invert the pan onto a wire rack so the rhubarb layer ends up on top. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The rhubarb caramelizes into a jammy, golden crown that makes every muffin look like it came from a bakery case.
- These straddle the line between breakfast and dessert effortlessly, which means you can eat two without guilt at any hour.
02 -
- Do not wait too long to flip these because the rhubarb caramel hardens as it cools and will glue the muffins to the pan permanently.
- Buttermilk that has been sitting in the back of your fridge for weeks will not perform the same as fresh, so give it a sniff test before committing.
03 -
- Dice the rhubarb small and uniform, roughly pea-sized pieces, because large chunks release too much liquid and create soggy spots in the finished muffin.
- Trust the five-minute rest before flipping because that brief cooling period firms the structure just enough to hold together during the inversion without collapsing.