Rhubarb Cake

Rhubarb is in season where I live. It grows abundantly here. Most people that have rhubarb growing in their yard have more of it than they can handle. I don’t grow any rhubarb at all but always seem to have some in my freezer because many people I know are just looking to get rid of it. There really isn’t any reason to buy rhubarb in the grocery store. I imagine if you stood in the middle of the produce section and shouted, “Does anyone have some rhubarb to get rid of?” that you’d end up with a trash bag full of it – for free.

Rhubarb is a funny thing though. The reason that many people try to get rid of it is because the taste is extremely tart when eaten alone and raw. There are only so many things you can do with it, right? When I was a kid we would pick it and eat it raw, dipped in sugar. There’s nothing like chewing granulated sugar! The most common rhubarb recipe is probably Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and for good reason.  The strawberry paired with the tartness of rhubarb is a tasty combination. However, there are still people that find the rhubarb overwhelming in that recipe.

May I introduce … Rhubarb Cake. This recipe is easy, frugal (considering the rhubarb is FREE), and very yummy even for people that don’t care for rhubarb. There’s something fantastic about this flavor combination. What this recipe is not – healthy. You might be able to make a couple substitutions to make it better but it isn’t going to be a lite dessert. It’s actually quite rich. It’s similar to a coffee cake. It’s delicious served warm with whipped cream and still tastes fantastic a few days after you make it. Warning: You might be tempted to eat it for breakfast.

Rhubarb Cake
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Cake:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1-1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup buttermilk*
• 3-ish cups rhubarb (I’ve used anywhere between 2-4 cups)
• 1 tbsp. flour

Topping:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla
3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture.
5. Toss the rhubarb with 1 tbsp. flour then add to batter.
6. Pour batter into baking dish.
7. Combine topping ingredients and mix thoroughly. Crumble over top of batter.
8. Bake for 45-55 minutes.

*Buttermilk can be made by adding 1 tsp. of lemon juice OR 1 tsp. of vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 10 minutes before adding to the recipe.

Why I do what I do ~ We went to a minor league baseball game last weekend. We were all cheering for the Sea Dogs while my daughter was cheering for the Trash Monster; a mascot-looking creature enticing you to toss your trash into the trash can he carries in his tummy.

photo credit: Svadilfari

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Tagged as: Frugal Food, Gardening, Recipes