Wednesday, May 31, 2017

"Step Away From The Cake" Recipe

Here's the recipe for the best rhubarb cake ever made (in my humble rhubarb-loving opinion) per a request made by a reader to a recent posting of mine.

This recipe was printed a couple of years ago by a gal who writes a food column for our local newspaper.  I changed the name and made slight modifications to the recipe, but owe its lusciousness to her originally shared recipe.

I don't usually enjoy or make cakes because about 98% of them seem too dry to me.  This cake is not dry in the least and is my go-to cake whenever rhubarb is in season.  Here goes:

Step Away from the (Rhubarb) Cake

Sift into a large mixing bowl:
    1 cup sugar
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    2 cups flour

Then add and mix well until batter is fairly smooth:
    2 beaten eggs
    1 cup plain yogurt

Next fold in:
    4 cups diced rhubarb 

Batter will be very thick.  Put it into a greased and floured 9" x 13" pan and smooth it out with a spatula.

For the topping, in a small bowl combine:
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    1/4 cup flour
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cut in 1/4 cup butter until thoroughly combined.

Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over top of the cake.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.


Four people did this much damage to the cake in one day.  (Is that a bad thing?)


I may have under-baked the cake a smidge bit this time around as it usually rises a little higher, but the flavor was not hurt one iota.

Every time I make this cake, I get a good chuckle reading the last line the author put at the bottom of the printed recipe.  After the baking instructions, she wrote: 

"Eat every last crumb then make a second
cake for your family and friends."

Yes, the cake is that good!

39 comments:

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

Do I have to step away from the cake??? Grrr......me love cake! This recipe sounds amazingly divine, and the picture makes me want to drool. To bad there's no scratch and sniff on photographs :PPPP

Hugs,
Sandy

Michelle said...

Looking forward to trying this! Thanks for the recipe!

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Aha! A cake lover in our midst!! I won't mention any names (Papa Pea . . . shhh!) but there was one last piece of this cake left in the pan last night, a small one, so I felt I just had to get rid of it. When I went to put my piece on a plate, the top half of it (with the topping!) was MISSING. He just can't resist that crunchy topping.

Mama Pea said...

You're welcome, Michelle!

2 Tramps said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe - am up to my elbows in rhubarb. Having this tonight for sure!

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Thank you for sharing!! I will make this on the weekend as my rhubarb is taking over the yard!

Mama Pea said...

2 Tramps - I sure hope you like it!

Mama Pea said...

MrsDM - You're welcome! I knew a gal in town who had a whole line of rhubarb plants along one side of her yard. It was so tall and healthy she called it her privacy fence!

Sandy Livesay said...

~HA~ another topping thief!!!

Laurie said...

It sure looks good! I've never had rhubarb, but I've told you that before. I'll have peaches this summer....wonder if I could use them somehow?

Sparkless said...

If this recipe is as good as your Blueberry one then I'm going to make it and eat it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the recipe. Can't wait to try it.
Sue

Rain said...

It looks so delicious Mama Pea!

Michelle said...

I'm making this right now for potluck tomorrow; was able to harvest just enough rhubarb for it!

Mama Pea said...

Laurie - It might be worth a try!

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - A scoop of vanilla ice cream wouldn't hurt it a bit! ;o)

Thinking of you and hoping things have improved since last time you posted.

Mama Pea said...

Sue - You're welcome! I think you'll like it.

Mama Pea said...

Rain - If you like rhubarb, you'll make this again and again. (I hope!)

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Well, now I'm nervous. What if everyone at the potluck says, "Yuck, what's this??!" ;o}

GG said...

Oh boy! I love rhubarb in any recipe, and this looks like a keeper.
Thanks for this and for blogging about your gardening adventures.
GG in SE MN

Michelle said...

Came home without a crumb and LOTS of "Did you make that cake? It's REALLY good!" Probably used five cups of rhubarb in mine, as that is how much I picked.

Mama Pea said...

GG - Thank YOU for your kind words! Yes, I'm a really big rhubarb fan (I actually have a cook book devoted to only rhubarb recipes), too. Hope you make the cake and enjoy it!

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - How nice to know! The extra cup of rhubarb didn't make it too sloopy/heavy/wet? My daughter tends to put more fruit (of any kind) that is called for in a recipe and her versions always taste better than mine. For years, her zucchini bread was so much tastier than mine (same recipe) and she finally told me she always added more grated zucchini than the recipe called for!

So happy to hear the cake was a success at your potluck!

Michelle said...

No, it was just right! But I had to leave to pick up Brian before the bake time finished, so I set my oven to bake 12 more minutes and then turn off automatically, so it got extra time.

gld said...

It sound wonderful. Now...if I could just grow rhubarb here! Weird, I know every old homestead had rhubarb but I have tried so many times, I have given up to keep it going on this place.

Mama Pea said...

Glenda - Do you know anyone in your area who has extra that would share? Even with just my one plant I have more than I can ever use. Don't like to see you missing out on it!

Mollie said...

Great post and recipe. Question: I don't live anywhere near where rhubarb grows (wah!). What could I replace the rhubarb with? I know it wouldn't be as delicious as the one w/rhubarb but I like the recipe overall. Thanks!

Mama Pea said...

Mollie - Hmmmm, what about blueberries? Cherries? (Might have to increase the sugar then.) Lisa above wondered about using fresh peaches. Strawberries would be too soft and juicy, I would think. Apple would be good, probably. Let me know what you try and how it turned out, okay?

Michelle said...

I might try it with my white currents!

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - There's a good idea! Most currants are a bit on the tart side like rhubarb!

Michelle said...

I made it with white currants today for tomorrow's potluck; I'll let you know how it turns out!

Athanasia said...

Just to let you know I made the cake over the weekend. It was very moist. I did add 2 tsp of vanilla and 1/2 tsp allspice to the batter though. Just because that's what I use in my rhubarb upside down cake. We had it warm out of the oven for dessert Saturday night, then the rest of it Sunday morning for breakfast before church.

Michelle said...

The white currant version was gobbled up at potluck as well. I got a piece and it was good, although I used a bit too much nutmeg (instead of cinnamon) for my taste.

Athanasia said...

I'd call it a coffeecake, rather than a cake, by the way.

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Nutmeg instead of cinnamon? That's what I love about recipes . . . we can change whatever we want to make it our own! Thanks for the update.

Mama Pea said...

Athanasia - Yes, I can see how the allspice would be a good addition. And can you ever have too much vanilla? ;o) To describe it as a coffeecake makes sense. Wonder what's the (technical) difference between "cake" and "coffeecake?"

Athanasia said...

I just think it is the crumb. Finer for a cake, larger for a coffeecake or kuchen, as we call them. That is how it goes in my family. Though like I said, we ate the 1st half for dessert and there were no complaints:)

Mama Pea said...

Athanasia - Good definition for the difference. Let's say if we serve this one with ice cream on top (oh, be still my heart) it's a dessert, and just plain (and just fine that way!) it's a coffeecake. ;o)

Athanasia said...

:)