Relishing It

I hope you all had a lovely Memorial Weekend.  Ours was fun, though not ENTIRELY relaxing– both kids were sick Friday and Saturday– so we didn’t get out as much as we would have liked.  Thankfully, by Sunday all was well and we enjoyed a fantastic barbeque at our friends’ house down the street.  The dodgy weather even complied!  Much of the neighborhood was there, with kids running to-and-fro.  Everyone brought something to share.  I made these beauties and this dish from my friend, Angharad’s blog.  Fantastic!

Today I’m offering you another one of my favorite recipes to try before rhubarb season comes to a close.  (Hopefully you’ll freeze some rhubarb so you can enjoy it throughout the year).  I love coffee cake.  It’s simple and uncomplicated, not fussy, and almost always tastes sublime.  It’s one of those cakes that makes afternoons so much better– brew a pot of French-press coffee and enjoy.  The rhubarb makes this cake very moist, yet it doesn’t become mushy.  Even better, it’s not overly sweet– like many rhubarb dishes can be.  I added orange  zest for a hint of citrus, and topped it with almonds.  Together these three really came together to make a fantastic, delicious flavor.

The Recipe: Rhubarb Coffee Cake

For the Cake:

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup white suger

1/2 cup, butter (at room temperature)

1 cup sour cream (at room temperature, if possible)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon almond extract (vanilla can be substituted)

1 egg (at room temperature)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

Zest from 1-2 large oranges

1 cup whole wheat flour  (If you don’t have whole wheat flour, all-purpose can be substituted)

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more to coat the rhubarb

3 cups diced rhubarb

For the Crumb Topping:

1/2 brown sugar

1/4 cup butter (at room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare a springform pan by buttering it, placing parchment paper on the bottom, buttering the parchment paper, then flouring. Shake out excess flour.  (Note: a 9×9 square pan can also be used)

To make the topping:  Mix the sugar, butter, and cinnamon together using a fork.  Then gently add the 1/4 cup of almonds.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In another bowl, toss the diced rhubarb with a little bit of flour so it is evenly coated.  Do not mix the excess flour into the cake.  This will prevent the rhubarb from falling to the bottom of the cake.  Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugars and butter until creamy, 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the egg.  Next,  add the sour cream, almond extract, and orange zest and combine until just mixed.  Add the flour mixture and blend until just mixed (over-mixing any cake when the flour is added will yield a very tough cake).  Next,  fold the rhubarb into the cake using a rubber spatula.  Pour into prepared pan, making sure it is even.  Sprinkle the topping on top of the cake (I found that using my fingers worked the best).  Then finish with the remaining sliced almonds.  Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Let cake cool completely in pan on a cooling rack.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Cakes and Frostings with Schmecks Appeal by Edna Staebler

Thanks for stopping by Relish It today!

Laurie

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