Growing up, my dad always requested cherry rhubarb pie for his birthday "cake." And every year I was much more excited for the ice cream on the side than the pie. I just couldn't seem to get into the texture or the taste of rhubarb and cherry together- soupy stringy fruit just did not appeal to me. All that aside, when I met Les Paul at the Music Masters Ceremony held by the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame last year I became interested in trying rhubarb again. Given that his nickname was "Rhubarb Red" and he was such a legend, I figured rhubarb deserved another shot. (If you are still following this disjointed and random post, then stick with me- a great recipe is ahead.) When I heard we were getting some rhubarb in this week's share I was like a deer in the headlights- what do I do with it!? I wanted to avoid rhubarb pie given my previous aversion to it and I just couldn't seem to get into any of the savory dishes using it as a side to chicken. Finally I came across this recipe for a rhubarb crumb cake. I figured even if I didn't love the rhubarb, there was enough butter and sugar in the recipe that I would eat around it if I had to. In the end, I didn't have to eat around it because the slight tart-sour taste went perfectly with the coffee cake. And it wasn't stringy at all! I attribute this to the 'soaking' time the rhubarb spent with the cornstarch and sugar and the fact that I did not have to precook the rhubarb. It could be all in my head though, so what do I know. Now I'm hoping we get another batch because I'd like to take the plunge and try a savory recipe next!
Crumb Coffee Cake with Rhubarb
***I found this recipe on another blog and it was an adaptation of a New York Times Recipe. If you don't have rhubarb try another fruit- I bet it would be great!
For the filling:
1/2 lb rhubarb, trimmed and diced 1/2" thick (Source: FFM)
1/4 C sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom
For the topping:
1/3 C dark brown sugar
1/3 C sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C (1 stick or 4 oz) butter, melted
1 3/4 C flour
For the cake:
1/3 C sour cream
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (Source: Holistic Farms, FFM)
2 tsp vanilla
1 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 TBL softened butter, cut into pieces (Source: FFM)
325 degree oven
Grease 8" square pan. Mix sliced rhubarb and toss with sugar, cornstarch, and spices. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk sugars, spices and salt into melted butter until smooth. Then add flour with a spatula. Press it together in the bottom of the bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl mix sour cream, egg and yolk, and vanilla. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt with the paddle attachment on your mixer. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Scoop out 1/2 C batter and reserve. Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter. Dollop remaining batter over the rhubarb. Break the topping mixture into big crumbs and cover the ake. Bake 45-55 min. Cool before serving.
***I found this recipe on another blog and it was an adaptation of a New York Times Recipe. If you don't have rhubarb try another fruit- I bet it would be great!
For the filling:
1/2 lb rhubarb, trimmed and diced 1/2" thick (Source: FFM)
1/4 C sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom
For the topping:
1/3 C dark brown sugar
1/3 C sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C (1 stick or 4 oz) butter, melted
1 3/4 C flour
For the cake:
1/3 C sour cream
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (Source: Holistic Farms, FFM)
2 tsp vanilla
1 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 TBL softened butter, cut into pieces (Source: FFM)
325 degree oven
Grease 8" square pan. Mix sliced rhubarb and toss with sugar, cornstarch, and spices. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk sugars, spices and salt into melted butter until smooth. Then add flour with a spatula. Press it together in the bottom of the bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl mix sour cream, egg and yolk, and vanilla. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt with the paddle attachment on your mixer. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Scoop out 1/2 C batter and reserve. Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter. Dollop remaining batter over the rhubarb. Break the topping mixture into big crumbs and cover the ake. Bake 45-55 min. Cool before serving.