Rhubarb Cake

It’s the end of summer here in Alaska and apparently has been for several weeks according to the locals!  The Rhubarb tells me it is time...sigh.  Our shady side of the house is the perfect home to 5 monsterous plants and yield MUCH more than we could ever eat.   I personally do not like it...I will eat it, but would never choose it.  Rob on the other hand loves it.

 I went out and cut the last and pondered what to make.  I have made a few Rhubarb Pies and Crumbles, so I decided on cake.  I have made this several times before and wasn’t sure if Amelia would be disappointed when I offered her a piece of cake, as there is no icing.  There was sugar and cinnamon so she was ok with that.

Any extra I diced up and prepared for the freezer.  Funny thing, we never have used the freezer rhubarb. By the time Rob begins thinking about a Rhubarb dessert again (he does get sick of it eventually)it is Spring again and it is sprouting up new!  We will concentrate on Pecan, Apple and Pumpkin for now..but hey you never know.

This recipe I have been using since I arrived here in AK nearly 9 years ago and is from Martha Stewart.  It tastes like a tart coffee cake, eh but no coffee :)

Rhubarb Cake

            1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish

            2 cups all-purpose flour

            1/2 teaspoon baking soda

            1/2 teaspoon salt

            1 cup buttermilk ( I have used regular too)

            1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

            1 1/4 cups sugar

            1 large egg

            2 cups chopped rhubarb

            1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, combine buttermilk and vanilla; set aside.

.    In the bowl of an electric mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, and starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in rhubarb.

.    Spread batter evenly into prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over batter. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack in pan for 30 minutes before serving.